By: Emily Ao

Following the construction of three new pools in the Lucas Oil Stadium, the Olympic trials were held last week in Indianapolis, IN. During this competitive time, two world records were broken. With a mix of veterans and rising star athletes on the roster, the 2024 Olympic Trials left everyone in awe.

To no one’s surprise, seven time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky appeared again, stunning everyone with her speed. Ledecky had set the world record for fastest distance swimmer in the world during the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships, and she definitely has not disappointed since.

In fact, Ledecky has shown incredible stamina and consistency in her technique. Looking visibly unbothered when she easily beat many around her, Ledecky holds her standards way up high, putting in hours and hours of practice just for the trials.

Another seven time Olympic gold medalist, Caeleb Dressel, stabilized his spot as one of the faces of the Team USA swimming team. During 2022, Dressel had chosen the hard path of taking an eight month break from swimming due to mental health concerns. According to the New York Times Article, “U.S. Olympic swim trials takeaways: Caeleb Dressel is back, Katie Ledecky is still here,” he didn’t qualify for the 2023 championship games.

However, Dressel is definitely back at it this year, winning the 100-meter butterfly and 50-meter freestyle finals. Despite his break, he has shown us that he is coming to regain his title as one of the best swimmers in the world.
Additionally, many new faces have appeared this year on the roster. This includes 17 year-old Thomas Heilman, who won the 200-meter butterfly. Heilman is now the youngest American man to ever swim in multiple events in one game, breaking the previous record set in 1976 by Brian Goodell.

All in all, the 2024 Olympic Trials were fascinating to watch. With many new faces appearing beside the veterans we all expected, the future of the Olympics and its athletes has yet to come. Who will be the next star?