Trenton Jeffrey Julian (born December 9, 1998) is an American competitive swimmer. He is a world record holder in the short course 4×200 meter freestyle relay and 4×100 meter medley relay. He won a gold medal in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay at the 2019 World University Games. He followed up with gold medals in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay at the 2021 World Short Course Championships, 2022 World Aquatic Championships, and 2022 World Short Course Championships. In the 4×100 meter medley relay, he won a world title and gold medal at the 2022 World Short Course Championships, swimming butterfly on each the prelims and finals relay.
Background Julian was born December 9, 1998, in Los Angeles, California."Men's Swimming & Diving: Trenton Julian". California Golden Bears. Retrieved January 10, 2022. He is the son of Jeff Julian, who was a U.S. National Team member, and Kristine Quance, a gold medalist in swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics.D'Addona, Dan (December 17, 2019). "Cal's Trenton Julian Using Family Legacy as Challenge". Swimming World. Retrieved January 10, 2022.Watkins, Mike (January 29, 2021). "Trenton Julian is Making his Own Swim Footprints". USA Swimming. Retrieved January 10, 2022. Julian started swimming when he was about 5 years old.
Julian graduated from Glendale High School and started attending the University of California, Berkeley in 2017, where he competed collegiately as part of the California Golden Bears swim team thru the 2021–2022 season. He is coached by his father, Jeff Julian.Scott, Michael J. (September 8, 2021). "How They Train with Cal's Trenton Julian". Swimming World. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
Career 2016–19 2016 US Olympic Trials At the 2016 US Olympic Trials, Julian became the first swimmer to compete in a swimming US Olympic Trials from Glendale, California since 2000, when Sam Greenwood competed. Julian placed 71st in the prelims heats of the 200 meter butterfly with a time of 2:04.16.HY-TEK (July 3, 2016). "2016 Olympic Trials Results". USA Swimming. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
2019 World University Games
In July 2019 at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy, Julian won a gold medal in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay in 7:09.77 with finals relay teammates Dean Farris, Grant House, and Zach Apple, splitting a 1:46.99 for the third leg of the finals relay after helping qualify the relay to the final ranking first in the prelims heats.FISU (July 10, 2019). "Napoli 2019 30th Summer Universiade: Swimming Results Book". Microplus Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022.Carlson, Reid (July 9, 2019). "2019 World University Games: Day 6 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved January 10, 2022. For the 200 meter butterfly, Julian placed 13th in the semifinals with a time of 1:59.05.
2021 2021 NCAA Championships Leading up to the 2021 NCAA Championships, Julian swam a 1:38.53 in the 200 yard butterfly at the 2021 Pac-12 Conference Championships to become the third fastest swimmer in the event in the history of the NCAA, ranking after Jack Conger and Joseph Schooling.Dornan, Ben (March 3, 2021). "Trenton Julian Becomes 3rd Fastest 200 Butterflier in NCAA History – 1:38.53". SwimSwam. Retrieved January 10, 2022. At the 2021 NCAA Championships, Julian placed third in the 200 yard freestyle with a 1:31.55, finishing behind Kieran Smith and Drew Kibler.Keith, Braden (July 11, 2021). "Cal All-American Trenton Julian Will Return For 5th Year At Cal". SwimSwam. Retrieved January 10, 2022. He also placed second in both the 200 yard butterfly, with a time of 1:38.85 behind Nicolas Albiero, and the 4×200 yard freestyle relay, contributing a split of 1:31.41 to the final time of 6:08.68 on the lead-off leg of the relay."Nicolas Albiero Crowned NCAA Champion in 200 Butterfly". Atlantic Coast Conference. March 27, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2022. In the 500 yard freestyle, Julian placed fourth in a time of 4:09.78.Rieder, David (July 11, 2021). "Trenton Julian Will Swim Fifth Year at Cal, Excited for His Swimming Future". Swimming World. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
2020 US Olympic Trials At the 2020 US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Julian did not start the 400 meter freestyle on the first day of competition in the prelims heats.USA Swimming (June 13, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 400m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. The next day, he swam a 1:47.63 in the prelims heats of the 200 meter freestyle and qualified for the semifinals in the evening ranking 12th.USA Swimming (June 14, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 200m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. In the semifinals he placed 13th in 1:47.50 and did not qualify for the final.USA Swimming (June 14, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 200m Freestyle Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. On the third day of competition, Julian ranked third in the prelims heats of the 200 meter butterfly with a time of 1:56.42, advancing to the semifinals.USA Swimming (June 15, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 200m Butterfly Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. For the semifinals Julian swam a 1:55.35 and qualified for the final ranking third behind Luca Urlando and Zach Harting who tied for first rank with a time of 1:55.21.USA Swimming (June 15, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 200m Butterfly Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. In the final the following day, Julian placed fifth with a time of 1:56.35.USA Swimming (June 16, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 200m Butterfly Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
On day five Julian ranked 13th in the prelims heats of the 200 meter individual medley with a 2:00.73, qualifying for the semifinals.USA Swimming (June 17, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 200m Individual Medley Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. In the evening semifinals, Julian qualified for the final with a time of 1:59.21 and overall rank of eighth.USA Swimming (June 17, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 200m Butterfly Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. The next day Julian started competition in the morning, tying for second-rank overall in the prelims heats of the 100 meter butterfly behind Caeleb Dressel with a time of 51.71 seconds.USA Swimming (June 18, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 100m Butterfly Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. In the evening, Julian started off in the final of the 200 meter individual medley, finishing in 2:04.49 to place eighth.USA Swimming (June 18, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 200m Individual Medley Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. For his second and final event of the session, Julian swam a 51.70 in the semifinals of the 100 meter butterfly to qualify for the final ranking fifth.USA Swimming (June 18, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 100m Butterfly Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. Day seven, Julian concluded competition with the final of the 100 meter butterfly where he tied Coleman Stewart for fourth place with a time of 51.78 seconds.USA Swimming (June 19, 2021). "2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 100m Butterfly Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
2021 Speedo Summer Championships Following the 2020 US Olympic Trials, Julian lowered his personal best time in the 200 meter butterfly with a time of 1:54.71 at the 2021 Speedo Summer Championships in Irvine, California on August 3, which moved him up in rankings to the ninth fastest American in the history of the event, the seventh fastest swimmer in the event in for the year globally, and the fastest American for 2021.Johnson, Annika (August 3, 2021). "Trenton Julian Posts 1:54.71 200 Meter Fly In Irvine, #7 In The World This Year". SwimSwam. Retrieved January 10, 2022. Later in the championships, Julian swam a personal best time in the 200 meter individual medley with a 1:57.86, which made him the fifth fastest American in the event for 2021 behind Michael Andrew, Chase Kalisz, Carson Foster, and Kieran Smith.Penland, Spencer (August 7, 2021). "Trenton Julian Swims Personal Best 1:57.86 200 IM, #5 American This Year". SwimSwam. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
2021 World Short Course Championships
On the first day of competition at the 2021 World Short Course Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Julian ranked first in the prelims heats of the 200 meter butterfly with a time 1:50.32, splitting a personal best time of 51.94 seconds for the first 100 meters en route to the 200 meter time.FINA (December 16, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Men's 200m Butterfly Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. In the final of the 200 meter butterfly, Julian finished less than two tenths of a second behind bronze medalist Chad le Clos of South Africa with a time of 1:50.01 to place fourth.FINA (December 16, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Men's 200m Butterfly Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. Day four of competition, Julian led-off the 4×200 meter freestyle relay in the prelims heats with a 1:43.33, helping qualify the relay to the final ranking seventh.FINA (December 19, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Men's 4x200m Freestyle Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022. In the final of the 4×200 meter freestyle relay later the same day, Julian split a 1:41.35 for the second leg of the relay to contribute to the gold medal-winning and American record time of 6:47.00 achieved with his finals relay teammates Kieran Smith, Carson Foster, and Ryan Held.FINA (December 19, 2021). "15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Men's 4x200m Freestyle Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved January 10, 2022.Lohn, John (December 19, 2021). "Claire Curzan, Men's 800 Freestyle Relay Set American Records at Short Course World Championships". Swimming World. Retrieved January 10, 2022.