US Olympic Trials Wave I: Aurnou-Rhees Leads 200 IM, Armstrong & Frick Lead A-Finalists on Final Day

Photo Courtesy: Spencer Aurnou-Rhees

US Olympic Trials Wave I: Aurnou-Rhees Leads 200 IM, Armstrong & Frick Lead A-Finalists on Final Day

17-year-old Spencer Aurnou-Rhees of New Albany went from second to last seed to top seed in the heats of the 200 IM on Monday morning at the US Olympic Trials Wave I as he dropped a couple tenths on his best to a 2:03.82. The Texas commit came in with a 2:04.0 on the psych sheet and was the only one who had yet to swim a 2:03, which he did in prelims to grab the top seed. He is just outside the all-time top 100 in the 17-18 age group as 2:03.73 is 100th.

BYU’s Tama Tuitama swam to the second seed with his own best of 2:03.85 after coming in from an outside lane with a 2:03.9 seed. Indiana’s Tristan DeWitt (2:03.96) was the only other swimmer to break 2:04 in the heats as he only added a tenth on his seed but put himself in the thick of things to make the Wave II meet.

Tualatin Hills’ Diego Nosack swam a 2:04.33 to grab fourth seed after coming in with a 2:03.9 seed time that put him 16th all-time in the 15-16 age group. The 16-year-old is seeded ahead of Texas’ Colter Carman (2:04.36) and Michigan’s Ansel Froass (2:04.39).

Houston Bridge’s Jack Armstrong raced to the top seed in the 50 free on the final day of US Olympic Trials with a 22.76, breaking 23 seconds for the first time from lane eight in his heat as he emerged from a non-circle seeded heat to grab lane four in the A-Final. Towson’s Matthew Essing dropped a tenth on his best for a 22.78 to get the second seed after winning the final heat.

Louisville’s Caleb Duncan also advanced from an early heat with a 22.79 as all eight finalists broke 23 seconds. 18-year-old Eric Anderson of Northern Lights in North Dakota swam a 22.80 in breaking 23 for the first time which puts him 38th all-time in the 17-18 age group while 17-year-old Notre Dame commit Chris Guiliano of TOPS Swimming (22.84) put himself 43rd all-time.

In the men’s 200 breast, 18-year-old Naval Academy commit Jakob Frick of Nation’s Capital swam a 2:15.73 to grab lane four for tonight’s Olympic Trials final as he was just 0.02 off his best that has him 52nd all-time in the 17-18 age group. He is seeded ahead of Gaucho’s Alec Cullen (2:15.77), who dropped two tenths on his best time to move up from fifth seed to second.

19-year-old Coleman Modglin of Zionsville and Purdue finished third with a 2:16.36, lowering his seed by three tenths as he was initially disqualified for a non-simultaneous touch but it was overturned. He is ahead of 18-year-old Florida commit Peter Bretzmann (2:16.81) of North Carolina Aquatic Club, who also lowered his seed time and is tied for 83rd all-time in the 17-18 age group in this event.

SMU’s Connor Dalbo (2:16.88) and original top seed Matt Murphy (2:16.95) from Navy are seeded fifth and sixth respectively.

In the 1500 timed final, 400 free runner-up Brice Barrieault of Sandpipers of Nevada put himself in contention for Wave II with a 15:40.05 as the 17-year-old Army commit dropped three seconds from his seed. He is ahead of Harvard’s Simon Lamar (16:02.61) and NC state’s Curtis Wiltsey (16:05.41).

Olympic Trials Info:

Men’s 200 IM:

Spencer Aurnou-Rhees, 2:03.82
Tama Tuitama, 2:03.85
Tristan DeWitt, 2:03.96
Diego Nosack, 2:04.33
Colter Carman, 2:04.36
Ansel Froass, 2:04.39
Henry Bethel, 2:04.40
Kyle Maas, 2:04.42

Men’s 50 Free:

Jack Armstrong, 22.76
Matthew Essing, 22.78
Caleb Duncan, 22.79
Eric Anderson, 22.80
Chris Guiliano, 22.84
Brandon Hamblin, 22.87
Danny Tucker, 22.90
Skyler Cook-Weeks, 22.90

Men’s 200 Breast:

Jakob Frick, 2:15.73
Alec Cullen, 2:15.77
Coleman Modglin, 2:16.36
Peter Bretzmann, 2:16.81
Connor Dalbo, 2:16.88
Matt Murphy, 2:16.95
Parker Macy, 2:17.05
Aidan Kreiley, 2:17.08

Men’s 1500 Free:

Brice Barrieault, 15:40.05
Simon Lamar, 16:02.61
Curtis Wiltsey, 16:05.41
Jack Vandeusen, 16:18.41

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Nathan

2 years ago

Can someone explain the purpose of wave 1? For instance, if you win this meet you get the privilege of coming back a couple of weeks later to race people with times that are 5 seconds faster?