Manuel: “I Did Everything I Possibly Could’ve Done” | SwimSwam

By Robert Gibbs on SwimSwam

2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

• When:
  • Wave I Dates: June 4-7, 2021
  • Wave II Dates: June 13-20, 2021
• Prelims: 10am CDT | Finals: 7pm CDT
• Where: CHI Health Center / Omaha, Nebraska
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifying Cuts
• Wave I & II Event Order
• LCM (50m)
• Day 5 Finals Live Stream
• Psych Sheets
• Wave II Live Results

Not too long after heartbreakingly finishing 9th overall in the semi-finals of the women’s 100 free, defending Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel sat down with the press. During the emotional press conference, Manuel described how her training during this year has been hampered with a diagnosis of overtraining syndrome, forcing her to take several weeks off from training earlier this spring.

About 11 weeks or so, I was diagnosed with OTS, Overtraining Syndrome. I was feeling pretty bad the week before the San Antonio Pro Swim Series in March and went to the doctor after that competition, and that’s when I was diagnosed. The meet was in San Antonio. I went to a doctor in Houston because I went to visit my family for a little bit. I went back to Stanford and modified my training as much as I possibly could while staying in the water. After about, I believe, two weeks of modified training, I wasn’t seeing any progress with my performance in the pool; it actually was declining.

From that moment, with the doctors and kind of Greg’s recommendation, the end of March, I took three weeks off, completely out of the pool. I can’t remember the exact date, but I do remember my first date back training was April 17th.

She revealed that she would need to take several months off of training after she is done competing this summer. That break could come after Trials, or after the Olympics if she makes the team, as she still has a chance in the 50 free.

Originally reported by James Sutherland 

WOMEN’S 100 FREE SEMI-FINALS

• World Record: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 51.71 (2017)
• American Record: Simone Manuel – 52.04 (2019)
• US Open Record: Simone Manuel (USA) – 52.54 (2018)
• World Junior Record: Penny Oleksiak (CAN) – 52.70 (2016)
• 2016 Olympic Champion: Simone Manuel (USA) / Penny Oleksiak (CAN) – 52.70
• 2016 US Olympic Trials Champion: Abbey Weitzeil – 53.28
• Wave I Cut: 56.29
• Wave II Cut: 55.56
• FINA ‘A’ Cut: 54.38

1. Olivia Smoliga (ABSC) / Natalie Hinds (ABSC), 53.55
2. –
3. Abbey Weitzeil (CAL), 53.66
4. Catie Deloof (CA-Y), 53.77
5. Linnea Mack (TE), 54.03
6. Allison Schmitt (SUN), 54.08
7. Kate Douglass (UVA), 54.14
8. Erika Brown (TNAQ), 54.15

It was good vibes all around for the Georgia swimmers following Fink and Wilson’s 1-2 finish in the 200 breast, as good friends Olivia Smoliga and Natalie Hinds kept the good times rolling but tying for the victory in the first semi of the women’s 100 freestyle, both hitting a PB of 53.55.

Smoliga is coming off a third-place finish in the 100 back, still looking to make her second Olympic team, while Hinds has positioned herself to potentially qualify for the first time tomorrow.

Smoliga’s best time, set in the heats, was a 54.00, while Hinds had previously been 54.29.

Those two ended up qualifying tied for first overall, but the big surprise was the finish for Simone Manuel.

Manuel, the defending Olympic champion and two-time reigning world champion in the event, had been out of the water for three weeks in April, we learned during the broadcast, and subsequently placed fourth in the first semi in 54.17. That ultimately earned her ninth place, .02 outside of tomorrow’s final.

Manuel missing the Olympic team in this event, let alone missing the final, is the biggest surprise of these Trials so far.

Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil, the 2016 Trials winner, led the second semi in 53.66, qualifying third overall. Cavalier Aquatics’ Catie Deloof busted through the 54-second barrier for the first time in second, clocking 53.77 to advance fourth into the final.

Linnea Mack (54.03) and Erika Brown (54.15) also had solid swims to make the final, both still looking to qualify for the team, while two swimmers already on the team, Allison Schmitt (54.08) and Kate Douglass (54.14), round out the field.

Brown in particular hasn’t performed well this week, so getting into the final is a huge turnaround.

With Manuel out, this event is all of a sudden wide open, which is music to the ears of someone like Smoliga, who may have thought her hopes of competing individually in Tokyo were over after the 100 back.

Also notably missing the final was Claire Curzan, who went 53.55 earlier this season, along with Mallory Comerford and Kelsi Dahlia, who have featured prominently on the American 400 free relay throughout the quad.

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