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The first wave of the US Olympic swimming trials was witness to some truly sensational swims. With it coming to an end, US Olympic swimming trials will now be making way for a higher level of competition.
Wave II, the final stop before USA Swimming's final list of its Olympic candidates, is set to begin after a five-day break in Omaha, Nebraska on the 13th of June. This second wave will have the highest level of competitive swimming inside the United States, with the best athletes going head-to-head to ensure they seal their spot in the 2021 US Olympic swimming team.
This meet will see some of the world’s fastest swimmers in Caeleb Dressel, Michael Andrew, Katie Ledecky and Madisyn Cox. But who are the 5 swimmers that could make the biggest impact on wave II of the US Olympic swimming trials?
#5 Caeleb Dressel's US Olympic Swimming trials to lose?
Born on the 16th of August, 1996, Caeleb Dressel is without a doubt the most awaited swimmer at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. With Micahel Phelps having retired, the world of swimming needs another star and for many, Caeleb Dressel is the natural replacement. And he is likely to prove it once against at the US Olympic Swimming trials wave 2.
A thirteen-time world and two-time Olympic champion, Caeleb Dressel unsurprisingly made the Wave II cut on seven different occasions. He captained the Cali Condors at the International Swimming League and would want to establish his authority in world swimming at the Olympic games.
#4 Michael Andrew's time has come
Born on the 18th of April, 1999, Michael Andrew is one of the biggest names in this year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He makes this list as he jointly holds the third largest number of US Olympic swimming trials, Wave II cuts at 7.
Michael Andrew rose to fame as he broke several national age group records, junior world records, and even defeated some of the biggest guns in senior categories and races, bringing down the likes of Caeleb Dressel and co.
Michael Andrew has a unique way in which he trains, as a professional swimmer, one would expect him to be affiliated with a university or swim club and train in Olympic-sized swimming pools. Instead, Andrew trains in his private two-lane indoor swimming pool coached by his father. Together, they employ a training technique known as Ultra Short Race Pace Training (USRPT).
#3 Regan Smith to reign supreme?
Born on the 9th of February, 2002, Regan Smith has made this list as she happens to be one of the biggest sensations in women’s swimming. She holds the world record in the 100m and 200m backstrokes, and is is third in the 4x100m individual medley.
What sets her apart is her continuous upward trajectory, with her form continuing into the US Olympic swimming trials as she set timings good enough for a Wave II cut in eight different events.
She has had to fight her way to the top, competing with the likes of Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky at the US Olympic Swimming trials 2021.
#2 Madisyn Cox is the perfect all-rounder
Born on the 30th of May, 1995, Madisyn Cox has the second highest number of Wave II cuts of any swimmer at the US Olympic swimming trials.
Madisyn Cox started out strong as she represented the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 Swimming Conference, where she was named swimmer of the year in 2105 and 2017. She is also a 10-time all-American.
Her tryst with Wave II qualifications is all the more impressive because she had previously, in 2008, served a six-month ban placed on her for consuming trimetazidine, a drug which she had accidentally consumed via multivitamins.
#1 Hali Flickinger's butterfly
Born on the 7th of July, 1994, Hali Flickinger could very well make the largest splash of the entire US Olympic swimming trials. Having made the most of the Wave 2 cuts, 9 in total, she has positioned herself in a sweet place.
Specializing in the butterfly and individual medley events, Hali’s career trajectory may not seem like she has seen heights like a few others, but her strength is that she excels at every stroke and was therefore successful in setting US Olympic Swimming trials Wave 2 standard timings across a number of strokes.
This will be her second Olympics, having previously represented Team USA in 2016, making it through to the prelims and semi finals to secure a seventh spot.
