One by one, some of America’s biggest swimming stars are going down at the Olympic trials. Rowdy Gaines, a gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics and swimming commentator for NBC, said Franklin remains the world’s fastest backstroker from wall to wall, but her starts, turns and underwater segments in that event cost her dearly the past two days.
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Defending Olympic champion Allison Schmitt qualified fourth-fastest for the 200 free semis in 1:57.77.
The Mission Viejo Nadadores’ McLaughlin grabbed the eighth and last berth for the finals of the 200 meter freestyle by placing fifth in a blazing opening semifinal heat.
Franklin is no longer a favorite to make the Olympic team individually in the 200m free (Katie Ledecky and Leah Smith are), but Tuesday night’s result portends she will qualify for the Olympic team in the 4x200m free relay Wednesday night, as Lochte did.
Almost halfway through the eight-day trials, the team bound for Rio next month has as many as 17 first-timers.
On a night at the Olympic Trials when the old guard of American swimming was fully under siege, Zach Harting applied the final flourish of insouciance. Racing in the second semifinal of the 200 freestyle, Ledecky recorded a time of 1:55.10 to earn the top seed for the final.
“You know, I think I am feeling more pressure than I ever have before”, Franklin said. Doug Parrott with the Omaha Sports Commission says the city’s strongest selling point is having the competition pool, warm-up pool, and Fan Fun area under one roof.
“I’m just happy that I’m going to Rio”, Lochte said, sounding downright relieved. She set a blistering pace over the first half of the race, putting her more than 2 seconds ahead of the time from her record-setting performance at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships in Australia. Kalisz made his first Olympic team in the 400 individual medley.
Golf: Jason Day, ranked No. 1, pulled out of Rio because of the Zika virus.
But as always her focus will be on the races in which she has few rivals, the 200, 400 and 800 meters.
“I’ve definitely gained a lot of speed the last couple of months”, Ledecky said afterward.
Slowed by a groin injury, he finished fourth in the 200 freestyle.
Leah Smith, a relay gold medalist at last year’s world championships, clung to Ledecky’s heels all the way, slicing almost three seconds off her personal best to finish second in 4:00.65.
It’s very exciting when a swimmer makes their first Olympic team, like Ryan Murphy, Olivia Smoliga and Lilly King each did Tuesday, but it’s also memorable when any swimmer makes the team.
Franklin’s coach, Todd Schmitz, saw something that encouraged him Tuesday night.
In a stunner on the very first night of the USA swimming trials, an ailing Lochte was denied a chance to defend his Olympic title in the 400-meter individual medley, finishing third Sunday behind a pair of college teammates who raced right by him on the closing laps.
Ryan Lochte swims to win the men’s 400m individual medley final at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 28, 2012.
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“I think I’m a little stunned”, Matt Grevers said after finishing third in the men’s 100m backstroke, an event he won in London but will not race in Rio.
