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June 17 – In Indianapolis, Olympic veterans Katie Ledecky and Chase Kalisz were among the initial group of 10 swimmers to secure their spots on Team USA for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. The qualifying event is set to run through the end of the week.
Chase Kalisz made headlines as he triumphed to become one of the first confirmations for Team USA’s roster for the 2024 games in Paris, during Sunday’s action-packed trials in Indianapolis. A picture capturing Kalisz’s qualifying moment was shared, courtesy of photographer Tasos Katopodis via UPI.
Achievements shone brightly as over 20,000 fans gathered at the Lucas Oil Stadium, repurposed spectacularly as a swimming venue, to witness the largest attendance ever at a U.S. swimming Olympic trials event, which began this Saturday.
Carson Foster emerged victorious in the men’s 400-meter individual medley, clocking in at 4:07.64 to mark his first Olympic qualification. Kalisz, with a time of 4:09.39, followed closely behind to claim his spot, marking his third appearance at the Olympics.
Expressing his relief and joy, Foster shared the emotional weight lifted with his victory and the support from his family, “That was such a relief and being able to look at my family and them going crazy.”
Gretchen Walsh broke the world record in the women’s 100-meter butterfly semifinals on Saturday with a stunning time of 55.18 seconds, followed by a winning time of 55.31 in the finals on Sunday. Close behind was Torri Huske with a time of 55.52, ensuring both swimmers a place on the Olympic team.
The qualifying achievements continued with Nic Fink and Charlie Swanson grabbing the next two places for Team USA in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke. Fink, who placed fifth at the Tokyo 2020 Games in the 200-meter breaststroke, finished first with Swanson securing his first Olympics by finishing second.
In the men’s 400-meter freestyle, Aaron Shackell took the top spot with a time of 3:45.46, securing his first Olympic qualification. Kieran Smith, a Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist, secured his place with a close second-place finish.
Katie Ledecky and Paige Madden made waves in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, with Ledecky leading at 3:58.35 and Madden following, both securing their positions for Paris 2024. Ledecky, an esteemed Olympian with seven gold medals, continues her legacy alongside Madden, a 2020 Olympic debutant and silver medalist in the relay.
The competition heats up with more Team USA slots up for grabs throughout the week, featuring key events including the women’s 400 individual medley and men’s 200 freestyle among others. NBC will broadcast the excitement, covering semifinals and finals each evening until Sunday.
The journey to Paris 2024 sees intense competition, with the top six in both 100-meter and 200-meter freestyles potentially joining the team for relay events, aiming for a balanced team of 26 women and 26 men.