Night 6 at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials presented by Lilly brought all the emotions.
There was the history-making triumph of Ryan Murphy in the 200m backstroke, the quiet confidence of Regan Smith doing a daunting double, and the satisfaction of goals accomplished for Kate Douglass.
Love was in the air as well for Lilly King, who made memories both inside and outside the pool on (partner James Wells had something to do with that).
See below event-by-event recaps, highlights and results from Indy.
Women's 200m butterfly final
With two events to swim on the night, Regan Smith had every reason to conserve as much energy as possible in the 200m fly final, the opening race of the night.
If she did, it certainly didn't reflect in her margin of victory. Smith clinched another Olympic team spot by nearly a full second, winning in 2:05.70.
Alex Shackell, whose brother Aaron qualified for Paris on Night 1, claimed the runner-up spot behind Smith to officially lock in her own place in Paris.
The results of this event also mean that mathematically, all runners-up in individual women's events are now guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team.
FINAL RESULTS:
1) *Regan Smith | 2:05.70
2) *Alex Shackell | 2:06.69
3) Lindsay Looney | 2:07.03
4) Emma Sticklen | 2:08.07
5) Dakota Luther | 2:08.63
6) Charlotte Hook | 2:10.04
7) Tess Howley | 2:10.45
8) Lucy Bell | 2:10.58
*Olympic place guaranteed
Men's 200m backstroke final
The reign of Ryan Murphy in backstroke lives on. "Murph" secured a piece of history, becoming the first swimmer to win both the 100m and 200m backstroke events at three consecutive U.S. Olympic Trials.
The 28-year-old did so by winning the 200m back final in 1:54.33.
Keaton Jones narrowly out-touched Jack Aikins by 0.17-seconds to likely earn his first Olympic team spot.
FINAL RESULTS:
1) *Ryan Murphy | 1:54.33
2) **Keaton Jones | 1:54.61
3) Jack Aikins | 1:54.78
4) Tommy Janton | 1:57.12
5) Jay Litherland | 1:57.16
6) Daniel Diehl | 1:57.60
7) Caleb Maldari | 1:58.31
8) Hunter Tapp | 1:59.30
*Olympic place guaranteed
**Olympic place likely
Men's 50m freestyle semifinals
Chris Guiliano continues to impress in Indy. After winning both the 100m and 200m freestyle events earlier in the week, the Notre Dame swimmer now looks primed to qualify in the 50m free as well.
Guiliano won the first semifinal in 21.59 seconds, earning the top seed in the final.
In the second heat, Caeleb Dressel secured his first race win of the 2024 Trials, touching ahead of Jack Alexy and Ryan Held, just two-hundredths behind Guiliano's time.
ADVANCING TO FINAL:
1) Chris Guiliano | 21.59
2) Caeleb Dressel | 21.61
3) Jack Alexy | 21.66
4) Ryan Held | 21.82
5) Michael Andrew | 21.83
6) Quintin McCarty | 21.85
7) Matt King | 21.88
8) *Adam Chaney | 21.89
8) *Jonny Kulow | 21.89
*Swim-off necessary
Women's 200m breaststroke final
Just 24 hours after winning the 100m freestyle to cement her place on the U.S. Olympic swimming team, Kate Douglass reminded the Indianapolis crowd why she's arguably the most versatile swimmer in the world today.
Douglass was in a class of her own in the 200m breaststroke final, winning by nearly 2.5 seconds.
"I'm really happy with both of those wins I've had so far. That was the goal coming into the meet," Douglass said.
Lilly King delivered a vintage final 50m to overtake Alex Walsh and add the 200m breast to her Olympic slate once again. But that wasn't her biggest highlight of the night. Following the race, longtime boyfriend James Wells greeted her on the pool deck with a marriage proposal and a ring.
She said yes!
FINAL RESULTS:
1) *Kate Douglass | 2:19.46
2) *Lilly King | 2:21.93
3) Alex Walsh | 2:22.38
4) Ella Nelson | 2:23.95
5) Kaelyn Gridley | 2:27.44
6) Anna Keating | 2:29.54
7) Isabelle Odgers | 2:30.07
8) Raya Mellott | 2:30.19
*Olympic place guaranteed
Women's 200m backstroke semifinals
ADVANCING TO FINAL:
1) Regan Smith | 2:06.41
2) Phoebe Bacon | 2:07.23
3) Claire Curzan | 2:07.47
4) Katie Grimes | 2:07.75
5) Teagan O'Dell | 2:07.97
6) Isabelle Stadden | 2:08.40
7) Rhyan White | 2:08.63
8) Kennedy Noble | 2:08.87
Men's 200m IM semifinals
ADVANCING TO FINAL:
1) Chase Kalisz | 1:56.83
2) Shaine Casas | 1:57.87
3) Kieran Smith | 1:57.94
4) Carson Foster | 1:57.96
5) Owen McDonald | 1:58.21
6) Grant House | 1:58.24
7) Arsenio Bustos | 1:58.37
8) Will Modglin | 1:58.44