The 2024 Summer Olympics begin next month in Paris, but Team USA’s Olympic swimming trials start Saturday, as the best American swimmers race to make the team.
U.S. Olympic swimming trials are a nine-day event and consist of two sessions nearly every day with prelims heats in the mornings and semifinals and finals in the evening. And this time around, they’re at the biggest venue to date: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
While there’s a sizable contingent of veteran swimmers — including Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel — returning to trials to try to qualify for the Games again, there are plenty of newcomers who could emerge as Team USA’s newest swimming stars.
Here are six things to know about the nine-day trials.
1. The basics: When and how to watch U.S. Olympic swimming trials
For the 2024 Paris Games, the U.S. Olympic swimming trials will be from June 15-23 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Competition wise, heats will be in the mornings, and semifinals and finals will take place in the evening local time.
Like the Olympics, trials will be broadcast by NBC and Peacock.
Qualifying heats begin at 11 a.m. ET live on Peacock and will be tape-delayed on the USA Network later in the day. Semifinals and finals will begin at 8 p.m. ET and will air live on both NBC and Peacock.
2. How many swimmers qualify for the Olympics?
Up to 52 swimmers can qualify for Team USA’s Olympic roster. The top-2 finishers in each event will make the team, given that they also meet the Olympic qualifying standard. For the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle races, up to six swimmers can qualify for the respective relays.
Swimmers officially will be named to the Olympic team each night of trials
The Team USA head coaches, however, have already been announced. Virginia head coach Todd DeSorbo will lead the women’s team, while Florida head coach Anthony Nesty will lead the men’s. They were both assistant coaches for Team USA at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and both served as head coaches of the 2022 world championship team.
3. Quick things to know about Lucas Oil Stadium for U.S. Olympic swimming trials
This is the first time an NFL stadium has hosted swimming trials, and USA Swimming built three pools inside the Colts’ venue for the occasion. After ripping out the turf, of course.
With more space, USA Swimming is hoping to break the attendance record for an indoor swim meet, expecting up to 30,000 fans on Day 1 to hit maximum capacity for the reconfigured venue.
It took about a month to build and required 1.8 million gallons of water to fill the competition pool, along with the two warmup pools. Temporary but not trash, the pools have been bought for permanent homes once trials are over.
4. Olympians returning to U.S. Olympic swimming trials
For those who watched the 2021 Tokyo Olympics or the 2016 Rio Games, there will be a lot of familiar names at trials this quad.
The biggest, of course, is three-time Olympian Katie Ledecky, who’s won 10 Olympic medals, including seven golds, since the 2012 London Games. The 27-year-old is expected to swim the 200-meter, 400-meter, 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyle races — all events in which she’s been an Olympic champion.
Other Olympians who are expected to compete at trials include Caeleb Dressel (50 free, 100 free, 100 butterfly), Simone Manuel (50 free, 100 free, 200 free), Lilly King (100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke), Ryan Murphy (100 backstroke, 200 backstroke) and Torri Huske (100 butterfly, 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 IM).
5. Aren’t some American swimmers already qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Yes, but they’re not strictly pool swimmers. Three open-water swimmers — Katie Grimes, Mariah Denigan and Ivan Puskovitch — have already made the Olympic team with Grimes being the first American athlete overall to qualify for the 2024 Games after winning a bronze medal in the 10-kilometer race at 2023 world championships.
But Grimes is the only American swimmer attempting to qualify in the pool too. For the 2024 trials, she’s entered in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle, 1,500 freestyle, 400 IM and 200 backstroke.
At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Grimes finished fourth in the 800 freestyle.
6. Full order of events at U.S. Olympic swimming trials
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Saturday, June 15 — semifinals and finals, 8 p.m. ET
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Women’s 100 butterfly semi
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Men’s 400 freestyle final
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Women’s 400 freestyle final
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Men’s 100 breaststroke semi
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Sunday, June 16 — semifinals and finals, 8 p.m. ET
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Men’s 400 IM final
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Women’s 100 butterfly final
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Men’s 200 freestyle semi
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Women’s 100 breaststroke semi
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Men’s 100 backstroke semi
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Men’s 100 breaststroke final
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Women’s 200 freestyle semi
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Monday, June 17 — semifinals and finals, 8 p.m. ET
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Women’s 400 IM final
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Men’s 200 freestyle final
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Women’s 100 backstroke semi
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Men’s 100 backstroke final
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Women’s 100 breaststroke final
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Women’s 200 freestyle final
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Tuesday, June 18 — semifinals and finals, 8 p.m. ET
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Men’s 100 freestyle semi
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Men’s 200 butterfly semi
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Women’s 100 backstroke final
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Men’s 800 freestyle final
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Women’s 100 freestyle semi
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Men’s 200 breaststroke semi
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Wednesday, June 19 — semifinals and finals, 8 p.m. ET
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Women’s 100 freestyle final
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Men’s 200 butterfly final
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Women’s 200 butterfly semi
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Women’s 1,500 freestyle final
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Men’s 200 backstroke semi
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Women’s 200 breaststroke semi
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Men’s 200 breaststroke final
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Men’s 100 freestyle final
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Thursday, June 20 — semifinals and finals, 8 p.m. ET
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Women’s 200 butterfly final
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Men’s 200 backstroke final
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Men’s 50 freestyle semi
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Women’s 200 breaststroke final
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Women’s 200 backstroke semi
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Men’s 200 IM semi
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Friday, June 21 — semifinals and finals, 8 p.m. ET
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Men’s 50 freestyle final
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Women’s 200 backstroke final
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Men’s 200 IM final
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Men’s 100 butterfly semi
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Women’s 200 IM semi
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Saturday, June 22 — semifinals and finals, 8 p.m. ET
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Men’s 100 butterfly final
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Women’s 50 freestyle semi
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Women’s 200 IM final
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Women’s 800 freestyle final
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Sunday, June 23 — finals, 8 p.m. ET (no morning session)
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Women’s 50 freestyle final
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Men’s 1,500 freestyle final
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 US Olympic swimming trials star Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel
