Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel and Caeleb Dressel headline the U.S. Open, swimming’s biggest domestic winter meet, live on NBC Sports this week.
U.S. Olympic hopefuls are looking to establish themselves this week in Atlanta, six months out from the trials.
Finals are at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday on USASwimming.org, plus Friday and Saturday on NBCSN and streaming on NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app. The 800m freestyle will kick things off on Wednesday at 6 p.m. on USASwimming.org.
Ledecky is entered in her full complement of freestyles (100m through 1500m), plus the 200m and 400m individual medleys, which she sometimes races domestically but never on the major international level.
After being hit by illness at the summer world championships, Ledecky was back in form at a Pro Series stop a month ago, sweeping the 200m, 400m and 800m frees.
Manuel, the American record holder and world champion in the 50m and 100m frees, is entered in both sprints, plus the 200m free (anticipated showdown with Ledecky), the 100m backstroke and the 100m butterfly.
Manuel’s 200m free is of particular interest. She has never swum it individually at an Olympics or worlds but ranks second in the U.S. in the event this year behind Ledecky. If she adds it for the Olympic trials, she could be looking at a seven-event lineup in Tokyo when including four relays.
Dressel, who could go for a Phelpsian eight events in Tokyo, is entered in five individual events in Atlanta — 100m and 200m free, 100m and 200m fly and the 200m IM. He could face training partner Ryan Lochte in the medley. Lochte, at 35, is bidding to become the oldest U.S. Olympic male swimmer in an individual event since 1904.
The U.S. Open also features Olympic or world champions Regan Smith, Lilly King, Chase Kalisz, Matt Grevers and the oldest swimmer of the meet, 38-year-old Anthony Ervin, who took 50m free gold in 2000 and 2016.
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