{"id":476235,"date":"2021-06-13T09:35:02","date_gmt":"2021-06-13T16:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=476235"},"modified":"2021-06-13T15:14:47","modified_gmt":"2021-06-13T22:14:47","slug":"us-olympic-trials-kieran-smith-controls-400-free-pace-leads-top-eight-field-of-potential-first-time-olympians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/us-olympic-trials-kieran-smith-controls-400-free-pace-leads-top-eight-field-of-potential-first-time-olympians\/","title":{"rendered":"US Olympic Trials: Kieran Smith Controls 400 Free Pace, Leads Top Eight Field of Potential First-Time US Olympians"},"content":{"rendered":"

Short course yards American record holder\u00a0Kieran Smith\u00a0<\/strong>barely took a hard stroke in the heats, cruising to a 3:48.06 as he controlled the pace of heat six of seven. Smith pulled Arizona grad Chris Wieser\u00a0<\/strong>along with him in his heat at 3:48.84, along with his fellow Florida Gator teammate Trey Freeman\u00a0<\/strong>(3:48.88), who qualified third and fourth.<\/p>\n

The big surprise came out of heat seven as NC State’s\u00a0Ross Dant\u00a0<\/strong>emerged from lane eight with a 3:48.40, dropping three seconds on his best time as he is all of a sudden the second seed in tonight’s final. The top seed coming into the meet,\u00a0Zane Grothe<\/strong>, who represented the US at the last three major international meets in this event, including winning the bronze at the 2018 Pan Pacs, finished out of the final with a disappointing 3:50.80 in 11th place. NCAA champion Jake Magahey<\/strong>, who was a popular second place pick<\/a> coming into the meet behind Kieran Smithh, finished out of the final in ninth place at 3:49.89.<\/p>\n

Three-time NCAA champ\u00a0Townley Haas\u00a0<\/strong>finished 12th overall from a non-seeded heat with a 3:50.89 as three of the biggest names behind Kieran Smith in this event – Magahey, Grothe, and Haas, will not fight for a spot on the plane to Tokyo in tonight’s final.<\/p>\n

All eight swimmers that advanced to the final have never swum for the US in the Olympic Games. Florida’s\u00a0Mitch D’Arrigo<\/strong>, who led for the majority of heat seven, represented Italy at the 2016 Olympics where he was 23rd in the 200 freestyle. He is the eighth see at 3:49.49 as three Florida Gators made the A-Final in Smith, Freeman and D’Arrigo.<\/p>\n

Arizona’s\u00a0Brooks Fail\u00a0<\/strong>finished in fifth at 3:49.37 ahead of Michigan’s\u00a0Jake Mitchell\u00a0<\/strong>(3:49.39), who could potentially be the first Olympic swimmer from the legendary Carmel Swim Club in Indiana.\u00a0Andrew Abruzzo<\/strong> of Georgia is the seventh seed at 3:49.43.<\/p>\n

2019 Worlds team member\u00a0Grant Shoults\u00a0<\/strong>finished 17th at 3:51.52.<\/p>\n

The pace was not particularly quick this morning as none of the men swam under the 3:46.78 FINA A cut, but that should change tonight now that the first race jitters are out of the way. The pace should heat up tonight as the eight men get in a race to try and qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games.<\/p>\n