U.S. Nationals: Gabriel Jett Finally Lands on National Team After Accidental Discovery
Year after year, Gabriel Jett has been grounded in attempts to make the U.S. National Team.
But at age 24, Jett is finally taking off, and headed to the World Championships in Singapore.
Jett, a recent Cal graduate, finished second in the 200 freestyle to make his first team.
“I feel like I have had a swim like that coming for a long time,” Jett said. “The energy of the meet and being next to Luke (Hobson) really helped me. It is pretty surreal. I can’t even fathom 1:44 right now. It was so much fun to go out there and race. It means a lot. It is a pretty basic word, but ‘culmination’ comes to mind.”
He finished in 1:44.70 behind Hobson, who broke the U.S. Open and meet record with a swim of 1:43.73.
It all started by accident.
“I just realized I need to warm up closer to my event and it was an accident. I was doing it all wrong, I guess,” Jett said. “Ever since I was in high school, I would do a nice long warmup, then get out about 30-45 minutes before the race. In the morning, I gave myself 10 minutes because I was running behind. Then it was the fastest 200 fly I have done in four years. Then I did what I used to do in the 200 fly final and I went slower. So, my coach Noah (Yanchulis) told me to do the same thing as yesterday. I did it both times and I was faster.
“It is a big puzzle and a lot of pieces fell into place the past two months, mentally and emotionally. I have physically been able to go a really fast 200 free since high school.”
The warm-up and other pieces that came together have been something he has experienced in the two months since the NCAA Championships.
“My short-course freestyle has been my thing, but the long course hasn’t caught up. I have done a lot of work over the past year to get my long course to a spot where I am confident in swimming it. Cal has been really good to me. The past four years have been the best years of my life,” he said. This year, I shifted toward swimming for myself more now. Swimming as a pro is something I always thought I would do, but I didn’t really grasp the breadth of it, which is really swimming selfishly and figuring out what you can do for yourself. I did backstroke at NCAAs because we needed the points. I didn’t do my best event because that is what the team needed. Post-NCAAs, I have just been talking with my coaches about what would be the best shot at getting on the team, and I only entered the 200 free and 200 fly.
“It paid off. I am proud of myself. It has been a long time coming getting on this A team. I have had a lot of FOMO (fear of missing out) the past few years with all my friends making national teams. I am really excited to join them this summer.
“I have always felt like I had a position on the U.S. relay, but the swim didn’t come to fruition. I am excited to swim for the U.S.”
