Shortly after setting a best time in the preliminary heats of the men’s 200 freestyle, Caeleb Dressel has scratched out of the event’s semi-finals on Day 2 of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Dressel posted a time of 1:46.63 in the heats, chopping almost seven-tenths off his previous best time (1:47.31) to qualify second overall.
Now, the 24-year-old drops the event, as does 11th-ranked Ryan Held, which leaves his status for the 800 free relay at the Olympics up in the air.
Many expected Dressel to scratch the 200 free after the prelims, provided he put up a time fast enough to earn him a relay spot in Tokyo. His 1:46.63 showing puts him in the mix, but is far from a sure thing. Anything sub-1:46 would’ve probably assured him a spot if he wanted it.
However, there’s still a very good chance he ends up on the relay at the Games, especially if the U.S. doesn’t have four men they’re confident can be sub-1:46 and Dressel is firing on all cylinders in his other events.
There are five men who advanced to tonight’s semi-finals that have been faster than Dressel’s prelim swim dating back to the beginning of 2019, so we’ll have to wait and see how things shake out.
Leading the field is Kieran Smith, a current member of Dressel’s former collegiate team, the University of Florida Gators, who produced a time of 1:46.54 in the prelims. Smith was one of three swimmers to punch a ticket to the Olympics on Sunday night, winning the men’s 400 free.
For now, though, Dressel is entered to swim the 200 fly prelims on Tuesday morning, but he’s expected to scratch out there. His first swim in one of his three primary events (50/100 free, 100 fly) will come on Wednesday morning in the 100 free prelims.
With Held also scratching after clocking 1:47.57 for 11th this morning, Grant House (1:48.18) and Julian Hill (1:48.56) will slot into the semi-finals tonight, having initially placed 17th and 18th overall, respectively. Maxime Rooney, who owns a best of 1:46.78, is now the first alternate.
