{"id":587943,"date":"2024-06-16T19:03:04","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T02:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=587943"},"modified":"2024-06-16T19:03:04","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T02:03:04","slug":"olympic-trials-day-2-semifinals-katie-ledecky-leads-womens-200-freestyle-simone-manuel-into-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/olympic-trials-day-2-semifinals-katie-ledecky-leads-womens-200-freestyle-simone-manuel-into-final\/","title":{"rendered":"Olympic Trials Day 2 Semifinals: Katie Ledecky Leads Women’s 200 Freestyle; Simone Manuel Into Final"},"content":{"rendered":"

Olympic Trials Day 2 Semifinals: Katie Ledecky Leads Women’s 200 Freestyle; Simone Manuel Into Final<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A packed field spread into two semifinal heats at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.<\/p>\n

With relay spots on the line, the finals are set.<\/p>\n

It will see Katie Ledecky<\/strong>, who had the top seed and fellow Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel<\/strong>, who snagged the last finals spot thanks to a huge start from Lane 1.<\/p>\n

Paige Madden, Katie Grimes<\/strong> and hometown swimmer Alex Shackell<\/strong> all made the finals.<\/p>\n

Manuel was out in a 26.81 and was well ahead at 55.86 at the 100 mark. Madden was at 1:26.32 just ahead of Madden at the final turn.<\/p>\n

Madden made her move late and finished in 1:56.36 to win the heat. Anna Peplowski also had a late charge and took second in 1:57.55.<\/p>\n

Manuel was third in 1:57.63 from lane 1.<\/p>\n

In the second semifinal heat, Shackell was out first at the 50 at 26.93. At the 100 it was 56.11 by Shackell, just ahead of Ledecky.<\/p>\n

Ledecky took the lead with a 29.5 third 50. She hung on to win the heat as Claire Weinstein<\/strong> was charging hard.<\/p>\n

Ledecky finished in 1:55.25. Weinstein was at 1:55.86 and Erin Gemmell was 1:56.53.<\/p>\n

Ledecky won the 400 freestyle on Day 1 to earn a spot at her fourth Olympic Games, ahead of Paige Madden, who will join her in Paris.<\/p>\n

Both are trying to make a second event in tomorrow’s 200 free final.<\/p>\n