USA Swimming Olympic Trials: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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Everything you need to follow along live with day one finals of the 2016 USA Swimming Olympic Trials. Hit refresh for latest coverage.

Click here to view the heat sheets.

Scheduled Events:

Men’s 400 IM Final
Women’s 100 Butterfly Semifinals
Men’s 400 Freestyle Final
Women’s 400 IM Final
Men’s 100 Breaststroke Semifinals

Men’s 400 IM Final

In the first event of the night Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland earned the first two Olympic berths in the 400 IM. The two University of Georgia teammates will head to Rio together as first time Olympians.

Ryan Lochte led at the 50 meter mark and was under world record pace at the 100. After the backstroke he was two body lengths ahead of the field. Kalisz used a strong breaststroke leg to take over the lead.

Litherland was two seconds behind Lochte at the 300 meter mark but powered home in the final 15 meters.

Kalisz stopped the clock in 4:09.54, just off his personal best time of 4:09.22. Litherland’s final time was 4:11.02. Lochte wound up a full second back in 4:12.02.

Fellow University of Georgia Dawg Gunnar Bentz took fourth in 4:13.72.

This morning Sean Grieshop set the World Junior Record at 4:14.00. Tonight he finished fifth in 4:14.08.

The three swimmers who were scratched into tonight’s final, Abrahm Devine (4:14.98), Charlie Swanson (4:21.62), and Austin Snyder (4:22.81) finished sixth through eighth.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Women’s 100 Fly Semifinals

Dana Vollmer cruised into the finish as she dominated the first semifinal in 56.90. Kelsi Worrell emerged from her breakout already in the lead and posted a 57.12 to win the second semifinal and earn the second seed for tomorrow’s final. This morning Worrell swam a personal best of 56.84.

In the second semifinal Sarah Gibson of Texas A&M earned third overall in 58.02 and 16 year old Cassidy Bayer took fourth in 58.11. Also under 59 were Kendyl Stewart in 58.33 and Hellen Moffitt in 58.46.

2012 Olympic gold medalist Claire Donahue (58.76) and Hali Flickinger (58.81) also earned lanes in tomorrow night’s finals.

Katie McLaughlin was ninth in 58.86. Kaitlyn Jones (58.88), Eva Merrell (59.02), Cammile Adams (59.07), Ivy Martin (59.39), Lauren Case (59.40), Felicia Lee (59.47), and Natalie Labonge (59.91) also competed in the semifinals.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Men’s 400 Freestyle Finals

Connor Jaeger fought through the end to get his hand on the wall first. The Michigan swimmer stopped the clock in 3:43.79. That time moves him to third in the world this year. Conor Dwyer of Trojan Swim Club took the second spot in 3:44.66. That time will now stand as the world’s seventh best.

Townley Haas touched third in 3:45.04. Zane Grothe put up the fastest time of the morning and finished fourth with a 3:45.60.

Clark Smith dominated the event from the outside through the halfway point. While he lead at the 200 in 1:49.48 his final time was 3:45.75 for fifth.

True Sweetster (3:50.71), Grant Shoults (3:51.25) and Michael McBroom (3:52.60) also swam in tonight’s final.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Women’s 400 IM Finals

Maya DiRado finished over a body length ahead of 2012 silver medalist Elizabeth Beisel. The two touched in 4:33.73 and 4:36.81.

Bethany Galat of Texas A&M finished third with a 4:37.69.

DiRado was second at the 100 and pulled further ahead on backstroke. Beisel also pulled away from the field then. Dirado stayed in control through breaststroke. Galat was less than a second behind Beisel after breaststroke.

Fourth went to Madisyn Cox in 4:38.85. 2012 Olympian Caitlin Leverenz wound up fifth in 4:39.58.

This morning’s top qualifier Sarah Henry wound up sixth in 4:42.01. Lindsey Clary (4:42.81) and Kate Mills (4:46.58) completed tonight’s final.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

Men’s 100 Breaststroke Semifinals

Kevin Cordes took down Eric Shanteau’s American record and Mark Gangloff’s US Open record on his way to the top seed in the men’s 100 breaststroke. He touched in 58.94.

Cody Miller posted a personal best to win the first semifinal in 59.09. Josh Prenot scratched the 400 IM final to focus on this event. He finished third in 59.60.

Michael Andrew lowered his own National Age Group record and World Junior Record he set this morning with a 59.85, good for the fourth seed.

Andrew Wilson was second in that first semifinal, also under a minute in 59.87. He’ll return fifth for finals.

Nic Fink (59.88), Marcus Titus (1:00.19) and Will Licon (1:00.30) also earned lanes in tomorrow’s final.

Brendan McHugh (1:00.66), Connor Hoppe (1:00.89), Ian Finnerty (1:00.96), Alex Evdokimov (1:01.14), Chuk Katis (1:01.41), Reece Whitley (1:01.41), Sam Tierney (1:01.45) and Brandon Fiala (1:02.07) also swam in semifinals.

Photo Courtesy: Omega Timing

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Bansi

7 years ago

I am new to reading this website. What does BEH stand for ? What does YB stand for ? Against name of Kevin Cordes next to his timing is US what does that stand for. I understand Q represents ‘Qualified’. Thanks your help. I am a keen breastroker from Mumbai India.

Taylor Brien

7 years ago

Reply to Bansi

Hi Bansi,
BEH is time behind the leader, YB is the year the athlete was born, and it says US next to Kevin Cordes’ time because he set a new US Open record. Hope this helps!