U.S. Nationals: Katie Ledecky Returns to Action in 400 Free (Heat Sheet – Day Four Prelims)
The fourth morning of preliminary action at U.S. Nationals will include the 400 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 100 backstroke. The session begins at 10 a.m. ET in Indianapolis.
Click here to view the full heat sheet.
The women’s 400 free will begin the session, and the final heat includes American-record holder and world champion Katie Ledecky. Already on the Worlds team in the 800 free and 200 free, Ledecky will be back in the water after an off-day Thursday to swim in a heat with Erin Gemmell, daughter of her former coach, Bruce, who already made the team in the 800 free relay, along with 200 free winner Claire Weinstein and 800 free runner-up. The second-to-last heat will include Worlds bronze medalist Leah Smith, Olympic finalist Paige Madden and Weinstein’s Sandpipers teammates Katie Grimes and Bella Sims.
Top seed Carson Foster will be in the 400 free in an event that will include Olympic bronze medalist Kieran Smith plus fellow finalist Jake Mitchell. Jake Magahey and Ross Dant are the other big names.
In the women’s 100 breast, the three circle-seeded heats will include Annie Lazor, Lydia Jacoby and Lilly King in lane four in their respective heats. Josh Matheny, Michael Andrew and Worlds bronze medalist Nic Fink are the highlight swimmers in the men’s event, with Fink swimming next to 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Cody Miller.
The women’s 100 back will have Rhyan White and Olivia Smoliga in the first seeded heat, Claire Curzan and Isabelle Stadden in the second and Regan Smith next to Katharine Berkoff in the third. Finally, Ryan Murphy will be next to 50 back world champion Justin Ress in the 100 back after Shaine Casas and Hunter Armstrong swim in separate heats, with teenager Daniel Diehl swimming next to Armstrong.
