Gallant finishes 15th in 400 freestyle at Olympic trials

Canton’s Will Gallant knew his chance to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team in the 400 meter freestyle was a longshot.

Still, he swam a career-best time in the event at Sunday’s U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Omaha, Nebraska. Gallant, 19, cut more than two seconds off his personal best time in the event with a time of 3:51.26.

It wasn’t good enough to advance to Sunday night’s final. Gallant finished 15th in the field of 48 swimmers. He was second in his heat, coming in behind Coby Carrozza, who won the heat in 3:50.02.

“For me, (the 400 freestyle) is an all-out sprint,” Gallant said before the trials began.

Gallant’s previous best time in the 400 meters was 3:53.44 at the TYR Pro Series in Mississippi in April.

Gallant is seeded in the top 10 in the 800-meter freestyle and 1,500-meter freestyle, which is rejoining the Olympic calendar on the men’s side for the first time since 1904.

He is the eighth seed in the 1,500 meters and the 10th seed in the 800 meters, which will be swum on Thursday. The finals are scheduled for Thursday night.

With 26 spots open on the U.S. Olympic team, the top two swimmers in each event are expected to make the team. The winner automatically earns a berth on the squad that will compete in Toyoko in late July and early August.

This is the first U.S. Olympic Trials meet for Gallant, who swam for West Hartford Aquatic Team (WHAT) through high school.

Gallant graduated from Canton High in 2019. He spent one year at the University of Indiana competing for the Hoosiers before heading to California last May to train with the Mission Viejo Nadadores under the coaching of former U.S. national team coach Mark Schubert. Gallant will be attending North Carolina State beginning in September.