U.S. Nationals: Katie Grimes Rallies Late to Grab Victory in 400 IM; Alex Walsh Goes Career Best For Silver

U.S. Nationals: Katie Grimes Rallies Late to Grab Victory in 400 IM; Alex Walsh Goes Career Best For Silver

By the start of the third day of the United States National Championships, Katie Grimes figured to have a berth to next month’s World Championships nailed down. The likeliest scenarios had her qualifying in the 800-meter freestyle, or via a relay bid in the 200 freestyle. However, neither of those possibilities came to fruition.

In the 800 freestyle, where Grimes was favored to finish behind only Katie Ledecky, the 17-year-old turned in a fifth-place showing, touching more than three seconds out of the runnerup position. Meanwhile, Grimes missed the championship final of the 200 freestyle on Day Two, consequently leaving her out of the push for a spot on the 800 free relay.

On Thursday night, Grimes’ fortune changed.

After qualifying for the final as the second seed, Grimes shook off a charge by Alex Walsh on the breaststroke leg and rode a freestyle rally to victory to win the race in 4:33.80. Walsh, the reigning world champion in the 200 individual medley, showed her worth in the longer medley by placing second in a career best of 4:35.46.

Grimes bolted to the front of the field on the opening butterfly leg, her split of 1:00.40 supplying a .81 margin over Walsh. That advantage was extended to 2.23 seconds on the backstroke leg. But Walsh used her superior breaststroke skills to reverse the running position on breaststroke, as she out-split Grimes by more than four seconds. Rather than panic, Grimes remained confident on the freestyle leg and allowed her prowess in that stroke to regain command. Grimes clocked 1:01.68 for her closing leg, compared to the 1:05.22 of Walsh.

“Honestly, my only emotion was relief because I was giving myself a really tough mental challenge for some reason with that race,” Grimes said. “I couldn’t really figure out why. I felt really relieved that I overcame that. I’m not super happy with the time, but we’ll get there.”

A big name was missing from the final, due to the morning disqualification of Emma Weyant. The silver medalist in the 400 IM at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Weyant earned bronze in the event at last year’s World Championships. But officials declared she performed an illegal butterfly kick during the breaststroke leg of her preliminary race, leading to her ouster.

Grimes is the third member of the Sandpipers of Nevada, coached by Ron Aitken, to qualify for the World Champs in Fukuoka. Earlier in the meet, teammates Claire Weinstein and Bella Sims secured their tickets to Japan when they finished first and third, respectively, in the 200 freestyle. By qualifying for Worlds in the pool, Grimes complemented her previous selection to represent the United States in open-water action.

A Tokyo Olympian as a 15-year-old, the early stages of Grimes’ career centered around the distance-freestyle events. But Grimes has branched out over the past few years, to the point where the 400 individual medley can be considered her prime discipline. Last summer, at the World Championships in Budapest, Grimes was the silver medalist in the 400 IM, a performance that complemented her silver medal in the 1500 freestyle.

Grimes will be a leading contender for the podium at the World Championships, although Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh will be the overwhelming favorite for gold. Earlier this year, McIntosh broke the world record in the event, clocking 4:25.87 at the Canadian Trials.

For Walsh, she joined younger sister, Gretchen, on the American squad bound for the World Champs in Fukuoka. The younger Walsh had already qualified as a member of Team USA’s 400 freestyle relay and in the 50 butterfly. Alex Walsh still has her prime event to come, as the 200 IM is scheduled for the last day of the meet.

Teenager Leah Hayes was the third-place finisher, going 4:38.45.

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