U.S. International Team Trials: Carson Foster Records 1:45.57 to Lead Men’s 200 Free; Four Texas Swimmers in A-Final
Seeking to qualify for a top-level international team for the first time in his career, Carson Foster got his Trials off to a big start as he posted the fastest time in prelims of the men’s 200 freestyle. Foster dominated the fifth of seven heats and finished in 1:45.57. That crushed his lifetime-best time by more than a second. Foster finished eighth in the 200 free at Olympic Trials after placing third in the 400 IM, but his prelims time would have been good enough to finish second at Olympic Trials and to qualify for the final at the Tokyo Olympics.
Foster will have some familiar company in the final as three other Texas swimmers qualified. Drew Kibler, the third-place finisher at Olympic Trials last year and the NCAA champion in the 200-yard free last month, qualified second in 1:46.25, while Coby Carrozza (1:46.87) and Luke Hobson (1:46.92) placed fifth and sixth, respectively. The quartet of Kibler, Carrozza, Hobson and Foster posted the fastest time in history in the 800 free relay at NCAAs.
Trenton Julian, who qualified for the World Championships by finishing second in the 200 fly, placed third in prelims in 1:46.76, and Kieran Smith took fourth in 1:46.78. Smith was a finalist in this event at the Olympics, and he is the third-fastest American in history (1:44.74) behind Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.
Trey Freeman (1:46.98) finished seventh in 1:46.98, and after edging out Julian to win the 200 fly, Luca Urlando snuck into the A-final with an eighth-place mark of 1:47.37.
The U.S. men finished fourth in the 800 freestyle relay at the Olympic Games last year, marking the first time in Olympic history that an American relay had missed the Olympic podium. Smith and Kibler return from that Tokyo foursome, while Townley Haas has retired and Zach Apple ended up 18th here in prelims. The Americans did earn gold in the relay at the Short Course World Championships with a squad that included Smith, Foster and Julian.
The eight men swimming in finals will be aiming to post times that will vault the Americans back to medal-contending status in this relay. However, it is unlikely they will be able to post enough fast 200 free performances to provide a serious challenge to a British team featuring Tom Dean and Duncan Scott, the Olympic gold and silver medalists in the individual event, at this summer’s World Championships.
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Hope Carson doesn’t choke in final like he normally does!!