U.S. Olympic Trials: Jack Alexy Pops U.S. Open Record 47.08 in 100 Free; Caeleb Dressel 4th

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

U.S. Olympic Trials: Jack Alexy Pops U.S. Open Record 47.08 in 100 Free

Jack Alexy entered the men’s 100 freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Trials as the on-paper favorite. He did nothing to dissuade people of that notion.

Alexy won the final heat of nine with an authoritative swim of 47.08 seconds. It’s the second fastest time in the world this year. It downs the U.S. Open record held jointly by Ryan Held from Nationals in 2019 and Caeleb Dressel from Olympic Trials in 2021. The latter was the meet record.

Alexy was out in 22.44, the fastest in the field and one of only five sub-23 splits. He came back in 24.64, again the fastest in the field and one of only five sub-25 splits.

Second was Chris Guiliano, who Monday night booked a spot for himself in the 200 free. The Notre Dame swimmer went 47.65. Joining him under 48 seconds was Dressel in 47.82 and Hunter Armstrong in 47.93.

Held won the first of three circle-seeded heats to finish sixth in 48.15, .01 behind Destin Lasco. Patrick Sammon is seventh, with Matt King eighth.

Among the 200 swimmers from the night before, Kieran Smith made semifinals in ninth. Brooks Curry tied for 11th, with Worlds relay qualifier Henry McFadden, and Drew Kibler snuck into the 16th and final spot. Luke Hobson was not so lucky, finishing 20th. Carson Foster scratched the event, as he did the 200 fly.

Kibler denied two swimmers from non-circle-seeded heats, with Matthew Jensen (heat six) 17th and Quintin McCarty (heat 2) in 18th.

Alexy represented the U.S. at the 2023 World Championships, where he won a silver medal. Guiliano didn’t make it out of prelims in Fukuoka. A year earlier, Curry finished fifth in Budapest, an event marked by Dressel’s early withdrawal.

Held, Alexy, Guliano and King swam the relay in Fukuoka, with Lasco and Justin Ress in prelims. Ress was perhaps the biggest name to miss out, finishing 24th in 49.19.

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David Abineri

9 days ago

Looks like Dressel was 3rd, NOT 4th.

Ethan0

9 days ago

Well King Kyle’s reign didn’t last long. Glad to see an American climbing back to the top!