With U.S. Nationals Set to Start, Another Look at the Psych Sheets For This Week’s Action
USA Swimming has released its preliminary psych sheets for next week’s National Championships at the Woollett Aquatic Center in Irvine, California. Several big names and members of the Team USA squad which recently competed at the World Championships in Budapest are entered, headlined by Katie Ledecky.
Coming off titles in the 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle at Worlds, Ledecky is entered at Nationals in the 200 freestyle, 800 freestyle and 400 individual medley. Ledecky passed on the 200 freestyle at the World Champs, so Nationals will provide an opportunity to put together one of the top times in the world.
Ledecky’s training mates at the University of Florida, Kieran Smith and Bobby Finke, will follow up their appearances at the World Championships with appearances in Irvine. Smith is notably entered in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle while Finke is scheduled to race the 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle, events in which he won gold and silver, respectively, in Budapest. Finke is also entered in the 400 individual medley and 400 freestyle.
Michael Andrew is entered in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke while Shaine Casas, who recently went 50-point in the 100 butterfly, is slated to contest that event, along with the 200 individual medley. Meanwhile, Claire Curzan is down for duty in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 100 butterfly. Soon after the meet, she’ll head to Northern California and her first season at Stanford University.
Russian Andrei Minakov is also on the psych sheets, with the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly his premier events.
Here is a look at the preliminary psych sheets.
