U.S. Nationals: Shaine Casas, Gabi Albiero Lead 100 Butterfly Prelims
Earlier this month, Shaine Casas posted the third-fastest mark in the world in the 100 butterfly with his time of 50.56, and in the process, he became the fourth-fastest American in history behind Caeleb Dressel, Michael Phelps and Ian Crocker, all multi-time world champions in the event. Casas will be the heavy favorite in the event at U.S. Nationals after he crushed the field in prelims. He posted a mark of 51.04, already just seven hundredths short of what it took the podium at World Championships in the event. Casas could get back down into the 50-second range in the final.
Casas was more than a second ahead of his closest competitor in the morning, with Cal’s Gabriel Jett qualifying second in 52.17. Jett previously dropped two seconds on the way to a national title in the 200 fly, and he took three tenths off his top mark in the morning heats here. Australia’s Shaun Champion took third in 52.32, and Sandpipers’ Ilya Kharun was fourth in 52.32.
Andrei Minakov, the Russian-native now swimming for Stanford, placed fifth in prelims in 52.37. Minakov was the silver medalist in the 100 fly at the 2019 World Championships, and he placed fourth in the event at the Olympics, but he was ruled out of international competition this year along with all Russian swimmers.
Athens Bulldog’s Camden Murphy (52.40), Mission Viejo’s Trenton Julian (52.52) and Indiana’s Marius Kusch (52.60) also qualified for the final. Julian placed third in the 100 fly at International Team Trials and swam the prelims leg of the 400 medley relay at Worlds, but this is his first final of the week after he was in the B-finals in the 200 fly and 200 free.
Louisville’s Gabi Albiero earned a surprising third-place finish in the women’s 100 free earlier this week at U.S. Nationals, and now she will enter the 100 flyfinal as the top seed after she swam a best time by three tenths in prelims. Albiero used a strong second length to overtake Gretchen Walsh in the eighth of nine preliminary heats, and Albiero touched in 57.92. Walsh, representing Nashville Aquatic Club and Louisville, was just behind in 57.99, also a best time.
Cardina’s Ai Soma placed third in 58.35, while TAC Titans’ Claire Curzan, who was fifth in the 100 fly at the recent World Championships, finished fourth in 58.82, well off her top time of 56.35 that ranks third in the world this year. Longhorn’s Dakota Luther, the 200 fly winner Tuesday evening, took fifth in 59.06, followed by Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson (59.07), Athens Bulldog’s Callie Dickinson (59.20) and Cal’s Rachel Klinker (59.21).
