Noblesville teen finishes 2nd and gold medalist at USA Swimming Trials

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

David Bois
| Special for IndyStar

INDIANAPOLIS – It wasn't long ago that Luke Whitlock had such a poor resume that he couldn't qualify for the junior nationals. And 1,000 swimmers a year can achieve this.

Whitlock, an 18-year-old from Noblesville, is now headed to the Paris Olympics. Plus, he's chasing the Olympic gold medalist.

That defending champion, Bobby Finke, won the 800-meter freestyle in 7:44.42 Tuesday on the second night of the U.S. Olympic Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium. Yet hot on his heels was a teenage Hoosier upstart.

Whitclock's time was 7:45.19, breaking a 17-18 national record of 7:48.09 set by Larsen Jensen at the 2003 World Championships. Whitlock was just off the junior world record of 7:43, 37 established by the Italian Lorenzo Galossi in 2022.

Whitlock began his breakout run by leading the 400 freestyle heats on Saturday and finishing fifth in the final.

He became the sixth Indiana high school swimmer to make the Olympic team this week.

He was just 15 years old^th in the 500-yard freestyle as a freshman at Noblesville High School in 2021. He figured he was better at longer distances, joined the Fishers Area Swimming Tigers and thrived in that program.

Regan Smith sets world record

Regan Smith set a world record of 57.13 in the women's 100 meter backstroke final. The previous record of 57.33 was set last year by Australian Kaylee McKeown. Smith lowered her own American record of 57.47 from Monday's semifinals.

It was the second world record in the trials, after Gretchen Walsh's in the 100 butterfly. Smith finished third in that race – and became the fifth fastest in history – but did not make the team as only the top two finishers are selected.

In the semifinals of the men's 100 freestyle, Chris Guiliano clocked a fastest time of 47.25, becoming the third-fastest American ever. Jack Alexey was second in 47.33 and Caeleb Dressel, winner of five gold medals at the 2021 Olympics, third in 47.53. Alexey clocked 47.08 in the heats, just 0.12 shy of Dressel's American record.

Carmel swimmers struggle in preliminaries

It was a tough preliminary session for the Carmel swimmers:

>> Aaron Shackell, first in the 400 free and eighth in the 200 free, was 41 years old^st in the 200 fly in 2:00.97. He was ranked seventh.

>> Kayla Han, fourth in the 400 freestyle, was 27 years old^th in the 1500 freestyle in 16:47.50. She finished eighth in 16:16.94.

>> Alex Shackell, sixth in the 200 free, was withdrawn from the 100 free. She was seeded 11^th at 54.08, and it took 54.72 to be among the 16 semifinalists. She will compete in the 200m butterfly preliminaries on Wednesday.

>> In the semi-final of the 100 freestyle, Drew Kibler was 15 years old^th in 48.90. He finished third in the 200 freestyle Monday to secure a spot on the team.

Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007

Regan Smith sets world record

Carmel swimmers struggle in preliminaries

Lina Portman

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