US Olympic Trials: Michael Andrew Throws Down 1:56 200 IM; Lochte Advances in Second

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

22-year-old Michael Andrew threw down a 1:56.25 in the heats of the 200 IM on Thursday morning at the 2021 US Olympic Trials as he was right on world record pace through 150 meters before falling off on the freestyle. Andrew’s swim is a best time after beating his 1:56.83 as he is now second in the world for 2021 behind Great Britain’s Duncan Scott (1:55.90).

Andrew is ahead of four-time Olympian Ryan Lochte (1:58.48), who is looking to make his fifth Olympic team that would make him the third American swimmer to do so – after Michael Phelps and Dara Torres. Lochte, age 36, is one of the oldest swimmers in this entire meet and is one of the crowd favorites in Omaha to try and get on the team to Tokyo. Lochte’s world record of 1:54.00 is still standing after 10 years, and it may just be under threat with Michael Andrew putting together three 50’s that can compete with such a historic swim.

Andrew had the fastest breaststroke split of any of the top 16 with a 32.76 as only one other guy was under 34 in Raunak Khosla (33.21), who was eighth overall at 1:59.83. Lochte had the second fastest freestyle leg of any of the 16 semi finalists with a 28.63, only behind Andrew Seliskar (28.56), who is seventh overall at 1:59.38.

19-year-old Carson Foster, who finished third in the 400 IM final on Sunday night after leading for majority of the race, is seeded third with a controlled 1:58.95. Chase Kalisz, who won the 400 IM, is seeded fourth at 1:59.14 after a very controlled looking race where he split a 29.6 on the freestyle leg. Kalisz and Andrew are already on the team for the 400 IM and 100 breaststroke respectively, and have the weight off their back knowing they are already on the Olympic team.

Kieran Smith (1:59.31), Andrew Seliskar (1:59.38) and Jay Litherland (2:00.43) advanced to tonight’s semi finals in sixth, seventh and tenth respectively as they have already got on the team for Tokyo and can let loose in this race. Seliskar and Litherland both placed in the 2016 final with Litherland in fifth and Seliskar in seventh, and have a chance to make the final again and move up in tomorrow night’s final.

2019 Worlds finalist Abrahm DeVine advanced to semi finals in the 200 IM with a 2:01.20 in 14th place. He made the Trials final in 2016 in this event, placing sixth and he has a chance to make the Olympic team in this event tomorrow night.

A couple of Trials finalists at this meet, Sam Stewart (1:59.15), Jake Foster (2:00.72) and Trenton Julian (2:00.73) advanced to the semi finals of the 200 IM in fifth, 12th and 13th.

Results:

Michael Andrew, 1:56.25
Ryan Lochte, 1:58.48
Carson Foster, 1:58.95
Chase Kalisz, 1:59.14
Sam Stewart, 1:59.15
Kieran Smith, 1:59.31
Andrew Seliskar, 1:59.38
Raunak Khosla, 1:59.83
Grant Sanders, 2:00.32
Jay Litherland, 2:00.43
Grant House, 2:00.52
Jake Foster, 2:00.72
Trenton Julian, 2:00.73
Abrahm DeVine, 2:01.20
Rick Mihm, 2:01.24
Jason Louser, 2:01.26

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Judith Freeborn McIntyre

2 years ago

go RL