U.S. Nationals: Alex Walsh Takes the Lead in 400 IM Prelims
The prelims session of the third day at U.S. Nationals started off with an unexpected twist. In her first appearance in the 400 IM at an American selection meet, Alex Walsh from Virginia dominated the race for the first 350 meters. However, Emma Weyant from Florida, the 2021 Olympic silver medalist, managed to catch up with her former teammate in the final stretch.
In the end, Walsh touched the wall first with a time of 4:37.84, just two tenths of a second ahead of Weyant’s 4:38.08. However, Weyant was later disqualified due to a dolphin kick violation during the breaststroke portion of the race. The disqualification was confirmed after a video review, causing shock among the audience. Weyant quickly left the pool and headed towards her coach, Anthony Nesty, seeking clarification on the call.
Implications of Weyant’s Disqualification
Unless Weyant’s disqualification is overturned, she will not be able to compete at the World Championships in Fukuoka next month. Weyant, who won bronze at last year’s World Championships and secured a silver in Tokyo, has been one of the top American swimmers in the event over the past few years. With the absence of Weyant, the race for World Championships spots will likely involve Walsh and Katie Grimes from Sandpipers of Nevada, who clocked an impressive time under the 4:40 mark.
Grimes, the fourth-fastest American in the event, secured the second seed for the final with a time of 4:39.71. Leah Hayes from Fox Valley, who briefly took the lead during the breaststroke leg, finished third in the prelims with a time of 4:40.91. While Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh currently holds the world record in the 400 IM, Grimes ranks third in the world. With the second-fastest performer, Kaylee McKeown, not competing in the event at Worlds, Grimes has a good chance of standing on the podium.
Other notable performances in the prelims came from Lilla Bognar from Team Greenville, who dropped almost three seconds to swim a personal best time of 4:43.28, earning her lane six in the final. Justina Kozan from Trojan finished fifth with a time of 4:43.80, followed by Lucy Bell from Alto (4:45.75), Zoe Dixon from Florida (4:45.82), and Kayla Han from La Mirada (4:45.95). The competition for spots on the World Championships team will be intense, and the race promises to be an exciting one.
