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Who’s on the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team?

Team USA will be a mix of beloved Olympic champions and talented new faces, like Katie Ledecky and Katie Grimes.

By Jill Sederstrom
Kelly Clarkson, Peyton Manning & Mike Tirico Preview Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

The U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials have wrapped up and the list of athletes headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics has taken shape.

Fans got an an early glimpse of the talented athletes they'll be cheering on next month, such as Katie Ledecky and Katie Grimes, both of whom punched their ticket for Team USA. Here's are some of the key figures who wrapped up their places early and check out a full list of the American swimmers heading to Paris below:

Aaron Shackell

Aaron Shackell swimming during 2024 Olympic Swim Team trials

Aaron Shackell became the first American swimmer to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games Saturday when he won the Men’s 400-meter freestyle in a time of 3:45.46, according to The Associated Press. For Shackell, who lives and trains in Carmel, Indiana, swimming is a family affair. Both of Shackell’s parents were All-American swimmers, with his father Nick competing in the 1996 Olympics for England. His two siblings are hoping for their own shot at glory and are swimming in the Olympic trials, alongside Shackell, this week.

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 Katie Grimes

Katie Grimes at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials

Once the youngest member of Team USA in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Katie Grimes is proving herself to be a seasoned veteran. The 18-year-old won the Women’s 400-meter Individual Medley  at the Olympic Trials Monday with a time of 4 minutes, 35 seconds to earn a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Grimes told Olympics.com that while she was “starstruck by everything” during her first Olympics appearance at just 15, this time around she’s “much stronger and faster.”

Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky swimming during 2024 Olympic Swim Team trials

Seven-time gold medalist Katie Ledecky will be making her return to the Olympic Games next month. Ledecky, who competed in three previous Olympic Games, won the women’s 400-meter freestyle Saturday, securing her spot on Team USA with a time of 3:58.35, according to USA Today. The decorated swimmer also qualified for the 200-meter freestyle Monday with a time of 1 minute, 55.22 seconds, but according to the news outlet, there’s some speculation that she could give up that spot to focus on her longer races. She’ll compete in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle events later this week.

Carson Foster

Carson Foster after swimming the 200m backstroke at he 6th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships

Carson Foster earned his chance to compete at the Paris Olympic Games Sunday after winning the Men’s 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:07.64, according to WLWT. Foster, who came in third at the 2021 Olympic Trials, currently attends the University of Texas. His brother, Jake Foster, will also be swimming at the trials this week.

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Gretchen Walsh

Gretchen Walsh holds her medal after winning the FINA Junior Swimming World Championships

Gretchen Walsh not only earned herself a spot on Team USA Sunday, but she shattered the world record for the 100-meter women’s fly during Saturday’s semi-finals event, according to USA Today. Walsh won the final event with a time of 55.31 seconds, just a hair behind her record-breaking time of 55.18 the day before. The Nashville native, who is known for her speed, also helped Virginia win its fourth straight NCAA swimming title earlier this year, as noted by Yahoo Sports.

Nic Fink

Nicolas Fink during a swim meet at the FINA World Championships in 2013

Six-time World Champion Nic Fink will get the chance to add an Olympic medal to his list of accolades in Paris next month after winning the Men’s 100-meter breaststroke Sunday with a time of 59.08 seconds. The New Jersey native announced just one day before his narrow win that this Father’s Day was even more meaningful for him because his wife and former Olympian Melanie Margalis Fink is expecting the couple’s first child, according to NJ.com.

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Luke Hobson

Luke Hobson swimming during the 2022 Freestyle during the Duel at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre

Luke Hobson edged out the competition Monday during the trials to win the Men’s 200-meter freestyle finals with a time of 1:44.89. Hobson, who hails from Reno and represents the Texas Longhorns in the NCAA, is the two-time reigning NCAA champion in the event and was determined to use his skill to earn a spot on the Olympic team, according to Swimming World Magazine.

Ryan Murphy

Ryan Murphy after a swim meet during the Arena Pro Swim Series

Olympic champion Ryan Murphy will make this third trek to the Olympic Games after winning the Men’s 100-meter backstroke at the trials Monday with a time of 55.22 seconds. Murphy made his Olympic debut in 2016 in Rio de Janiero and has amassed four golds, one silver and one bronze during his Olympic career.  The Florida native is hoping to add some more hardware to his collection next month and told The Associated Press he has “no shortage of motivation” to make his dreams become a reality.

Lilly King

Lilly King swimming during the swimming competition at the 2019 World Championships

Olympic champion Lilly King will also be making a triumphant return to the Olympic Games after earning the top spot in the Women’s 100-meter breaststroke Monday with a time of 1:05.43 seconds. The win was particularly meaningful for King because it took place in her home state of Indiana at the Lucas Oil Stadium, where the trials have been held. It will be King’s third—and potentially final—appearance at the games, according to The Associated Press. The 27-year-old has already won two gold, two silver and one bronze medal during her successful Olympic career.

Complete List of U.S. Olympic Swimmers

Men's 50m Freestyle

Caeleb Dressel
Chris Guiliano

Men's 100m Freestyle

Chris Guiliano
Jack Alexy
Caeleb Dressel (4x100 relay spot)
Hunter Armstrong (4x100 relay spot)
Ryan Held (4x100 relay spot)
Matt King (4x100 relay spot)

Men's 200m Freestyle

Luke Hobson
Chris Guiliano
Drew Kibler (4x200 relay spot)
Kieran Smith (4x200 relay spot)
Brooks Curry (4x200 relay spot)
Blake Pieroni (4x200 relay spot)

Men's 400m Freestyle

Aaron Shackell
Kieran Smith

Men's 800m Freestyle

Bobby Finke
Luke Whitlock

Men's 1500m Freestyle

Bobby Finke
David Johnston

Men's 100m Backstroke

Ryan Murphy
Hunter Armstrong

Men's 200m Backstroke

Ryan Murphy
Keaton Jones

Men's 100m Breaststroke

Nic Fink
Charlie Swanson

Men's 200m Breaststroke

Matt Fallon
Josh Matheny

Men's 100m Butterfly

Caeleb Dressel
Thomas Heilman

Men's 200m Butterfly

Thomas Heilman
Luca Urlando

Men's 200m IM

Carson Foster
Shaine Casas

Men's 400m IM

Carson Foster
Chase Kalisz

Women's 50m Freestyle

Simone Manuel
Gretchen Walsh

Women's 100m Freestyle

Kate Douglass
Torri Huske
Gretchen Walsh (4x100 relay spot)
Simone Manuel (4x100 relay spot)
Abbey Weitzeil (4x100 relay spot)
Erika Connolly (4x100 relay spot)

Women's 200m Freestyle

Katie Ledecky
Claire Weinstein
Paige Madden (4x200 relay spot)
Erin Gemmell (4x200 relay spot)
Anna Peplowski (4x200 relay spot)
Alex Shackell (4x200 relay spot)

Women's 400m Freestyle

Katie Ledecky
Paige Madden

Women's 800m Freestyle

Katie Ledecky
Paige Madden

Women's 1500m Freestyle

Katie Ledecky
Katie Grimes

Women's 100m Backstroke

Regan Smith
Katharine Berkoff

Women's 200m Backstroke

Regan Smith
Phoebe Bacon

Women's 100m Breaststroke

Lilly King
Emma Weber

Women's 200m Breaststroke

Kate Douglass
Lilly King

Women's 100m Butterfly

Gretchen Walsh
Torri Huske

Women's 200m Butterfly

Regan Smith
Alex Shackell

Women's 200m IM

Kate Douglass
Alex Walsh

Women's 400m IM

Katie Grimes
Emma Weyant

Open Water Swimming

Men's 10km

Ivan Puskovitch

Women's 10km

Katie Grimes
Mariah Denigan

Don't Miss

Watch live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 26, on NBC and Peacock beginning at 12 p.m. ET. Telemundo will provide Spanish-language coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Primetime coverage starts at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock.

Originally published Jun 18, 2024.

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