Abbey Weitzeil Battled Illness At U.S. Olympic Trials: “I Think I Had COVID At The Meet”

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

Despite not being quite at her best, Abbey Weitzeil punched her ticket to a third straight Olympic Games at the U.S. Trials last month in Indianapolis.

The 27-year-old placed 5th in the women’s 100 freestyle, earning her a nod on the U.S. women’s 400 free relay in Paris, and she also neared qualifying individually in the 50 free, placing 3rd.

Speaking with California outlet City News Service, Weitzeil admitted that she felt a bit ‘off’ at the Trials, and revealed she tested positive for COVID-19 after the meet.

“I was a little tired. I don’t want that to be a headline, that she had COVID at the Olympic Trials,” Weitzeil said. “I found out after I had tested positive for COVID after I got home. I think I had COVID at the meet.”

In the 100 free, Weitzeil got slower through each of the three rounds, clocking 53.56 in the prelims, 53.66 in the semis and 53.70 in the final—all shy of the season-best 53.53 she set at the U.S. Open in December.

“I was going through a lot. I was really tired and I didn’t know why,” she said.

In the 50 free, the former Cal Golden Bear rebounded with a solid showing in the final, touching in 24.26 to set a new season-best after having gone 24.27 at the San Antonio Pro Swim in April.

Last year, Weitzeil was on career-best form at the U.S. National Championships, setting lifetime bests of 24.00 in the 50 free and 52.92 in the 100 free, qualifying to swim both races at the 2023 World Championships where she finished 4th and 6th, respectively.

Her times from the 2023 Nationals would’ve been fast enough to qualify individually at the Olympic Trials. Simone Manuel (24.13) and Gretchen Walsh (24.15) went 1-2 in the 50 free, while Kate Douglass (52.56) and Torri Huske (52.93) placed 1st and 2nd in the 100 free.

A four-time Olympic medalist, Weitzeil recently told City News Service she no longer had symptoms and will travel with Team USA to training camp in Croatia after they wrapped up the first stage of their Olympic prep in Cary, North Carolina.

Weitzeil admitted she was emotional watching the Olympic Trials this year, riding the highs and lows of the most pressure-packed meet on Earth.

“I was crying happy tears, crying sad tears for people,” she said. “It was a great, great meet to watch and feel those happy emotions and also just a stressful time.

“It was hard but I’m super happy.”

One of the veteran members of the U.S. roster, Weitzeil said she is embracing her new role on the Olympic team.

“I have a different role than I’m used to having on Team USA. I think I’m just grateful to be part of it.”

Heading to Paris having won a medal in the women’s 400 free and 400 medley relays in both Rio and Tokyo, Weitzeil will surely race the prelims of the 400 free relay at the Games, and a fast split there could lead to more opportunities throughout the meet.

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