{"id":478515,"date":"2021-06-18T19:01:06","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T02:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=478515"},"modified":"2021-06-18T20:51:58","modified_gmt":"2021-06-19T03:51:58","slug":"u-s-olympic-trials-abbey-weitzeil-wins-womens-100-free-joined-by-brown-smoliga-hinds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/u-s-olympic-trials-abbey-weitzeil-wins-womens-100-free-joined-by-brown-smoliga-hinds\/","title":{"rendered":"Abbey Weitzeil Wins Women’s 100 Free, Now the Veteran on Relay With Brown, Smoliga, Hinds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Abbey Weitzeil<\/strong> touched the wall and immediately looked at the board. She knew she was ahead in the 100 free, but wanted to see who would claim the remaining relay spots.<\/p>\n

“When I touched the wall, I immediately looked to see who else made it,” she said. “I was so pumped that everyone else got this shot, too. It took me a second to sink in that I did it.”<\/p>\n

With four Olympic spots on the line, Weitzeil won the Olympic Trials race in 53.53 to lead the group of four.<\/p>\n

Leading up to the meet, Weitzeil said her goal was to “tame her mind” behind the blocks<\/a>. Something that was accomplished as well as it could be in the trials dynamic.<\/p>\n

“I was nervous. Taming your nerves is definitely person by person in how you do that. This is the most nerve wracking the meet I have ever been to,” Weitzeil said. “It is a different meet. Being more confident and self doubt in your head and I have learned tho get past the negative thoughts.”<\/p>\n

Erika Brown<\/strong> took the lead early with a blistering first 50 from lane 8. She and Weitzeil turned together and Weitzeil hung on in 53.53 to get her hand on the wall first. Brown was second in 53.59 ahead of Olivia Smoliga<\/strong> and 53.63 and Natalie Hinds<\/strong> (53.84).<\/p>\n

“It is surreal seeing it up there (that you are an Olympian),” Brown said.<\/p>\n

Weitzeil said she was as eager to see who else made the team as celebrating her own spot, including Brown. The two of them had some stunning races against each other representing Cal and Tennessee, respectively, with each setting NCAA and American records in other events.<\/p>\n

“Everyone races in college and it comes full circle when you race against each other for spots on Team USA,” Weitzeil said.<\/p>\n

It is the second Olympic team for Weitzeil and Smoliga, while Brown and Hinds make their first team. Smoliga made the Olympic team in 2016 in the 100 backstroke but finished third in the event earlier this week.<\/p>\n

The alternate spots were Catie DeLoof<\/strong> (53.87) and Allison Schmitt<\/strong> (54.12). Schmitt has already made her fourth Olympic team and DeLoof will have to wait until the rosters shake out to see if she will join them.<\/p>\n

Smoliga and Hinds tied for the top seed out of the semifinals, both finishing in 53.55.<\/p>\n

The reigning Olympic gold medalist and American record holder in this event, Simone Manuel, missed the final, finishing ninth. She discussed her battle with over training syndrome<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“I am very proud of Simone. I feel personally that we have big shoes to fill because she is an amazing competitor and huge part of Team USA,” Weitzeil said.<\/p>\n