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Wave 1 of the US Olympic Swimming trials concluded in Omaha, Nebraska, on Monday. Wave 2 of the US Olympic Swimming trials will begin on July 13.
All eyes will now be on the top swimmers in the US, like freestyle specialist Caeleb Dressel and five-time gold medalist Katie Ledecky, who will race alongside the stars of Wave 1 at the US Olympic Swimming trials.
READ: Explaining US swimming sensation Caeleb Dressel's tattoos
For the record, swimmers who have qualified for Wave 2 at the US Olympic Swimming trials in one race can race in any event in Wave 2 for which they have a Wave 1 cut-off.
The Wave II trials at the US Olympic Swimming trials will serve as the qualifier for the US Olympic Team for the Tokyo Olympics 2021.
Five future stars from Wave 1 of the US Olympic Swimming trials
#5 Katie McCarville (400m IM)
Time: 4:47.15
Olympic record: 4:26.36
Katie McCarville took off right from the start in the 400-meter individual medley and led in seven of the eight laps to emerge victorious in a personal-best time of 4:47.15 at the US Olympic Swimming trials Wave 1. Katie McCarville also raced in the 200-meter butterfly earlier but finished fourth.
However, confident of pulling off a stunner in the 400m IM, McCarville covered the butterfly leg in 1:02.84, was at 2:16.84 at the halfway point and was 3:41.83 at the 300-meter mark before finally coming ahead of Katie Trace by a clear second-and-a-half.
#4 Jack Armstrong (50m FS)
Time: 22.55
Olympic record: 21.30
Holding when it mattered, Jack Armstrong lived up to his second name when he maintained a slender lead of 0.02 sees over Eric Anderson to emerge on top in the men’s 50-meter freestyle. Jack Armstrong timed 22.55 seconds to pip Eric Anderson, who finished with 22.57. Armstrong took an early lead and although Anderson was closing down on him, he kept to his strengths and came first.
#3 Tristan DeWitt (200m IM)
Time: 2:02.03
Olympic record: 1:54.23
Tristan DeWitt had a dull heat in the men’s 200 individual medley but drastically improved on his time by close to two seconds when it mattered. He won the 200-meter IM with a timing of 2:02.03, leading runner-up Spencer Aurnou-Rhees (2:02.43). DeWitt was at the forefront leading for the majority of the race; however, it was the backstroke where he lost out on the lead but managed to gain it back soon after to storm into the Wave 2 of the US Olympic Swimming trials.
#2 Missy Cundiff (50m FS)
Time: 25.46
Olympic record: 24.05
In the women’s 50-meter, Missy Cundiff was unstoppable as she raced to first position with a time of 25.46, leading Camillie Spink and Anna Moesch who recorded 25.54 each. Cundiff bettered her prelims mark by 0.03 seconds. It was Cundiff’s best timing as her earlier best was at 25.9 seconds. In a time-trail of the event, Cundiff managed a time of 25.5 but produced the best performance when it mattered the most.
#1 Alec Cullen (200m BS)
Time: 2:14.38
Olympic record: 2:07.22
It was Alec Cullen all the way in the Men’s 200-meter breaststroke as he finished on top with a time of 2:14.38, leading Jakob Frick by 0.02. Cullen was in red-hot form when he posted the best time of the trials too and carried on his good form into the race. Although he faced stiff competition from Frick and Coleman Modglin, who finished third in the first half of the race, Cullen pulled ahead soon after and maintained the lead until he touched the wall first and booked a spot in Wave 2 of the US Olympic Swimming trials.
