U.S. Nationals: Cal’s Gabriel Jett Leads Prelims of 200 Butterfly; Dakota Luther Paces Women’s Field
As Cal-Berkeley men stormed to the NCAA championship back in March, Gabriel Jett was one of several key performers for the Bears. While he wasn’t one of the team’s headliners, his contributions went a long way toward the program’s latest NCAA crown. Now, Jett is chasing another national title.
As the United States National Championships got underway on Tuesday at the William Woollett Aquatic Center in Irvine, Jett posted the fastest time of prelims in the 200-meter butterfly. Jett produced a morning effort of 1:56.35 to grab the top seed for the evening and led three athletes under 1:57. Jack Dahlgren followed Jett with a mark of 1:56.78 while Great Britain’s Max Litchfield was third in 1:56.88.
Litchfield is an interesting entry in the meet, as he was originally slated to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. However, the Olympianopted out of that competition and is embracing a multi-event schedule in Southern California. Litchfield was followed in fourth in qualifying by Brooks Fail, who checked in at 1:57.28.
A member of the United States squad that competed last month at the World Championships, Trenton Julian was ninth in prelims and, barring a scratch, will not be in the championship final. It has been a lengthy season for Julian, who had the collegiate campaign followed by his international duties for Team USA.
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The top-seeded woman, Dakota Luther retained that status for the championship final behind a morning performance of 2:08.10. Luther was one of three women to dip under 2:09 and took Tess Howley with her in the final heat. The 17-year-old Howley, a University of Virginia recruit, qualified third with a swim of 2:08.98.
Luther has been a standout for the University of Georgia, but she announced her decision to transfer to the University of Texas shortly after last spring’s NCAA Championships. Luther is originally from Austin, so the move from Georgia to Texas brings the butterfly specialist home and strengthens a Longhorns program that was second in the team standings at NCAAs.
Arizona State’s Lindsay Looney advanced to the final as the No. 2 seed, as she won the fourth of the five heats in 2:08.80. Meanwhile, the Texas duo of Kelly Pash (2:09.17) and Emma Sticklen (2:09.45) will also figure in the title chase at night.
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