USA Swimming executive director Chuck Wielgus said last week that with the Tokyo Olympics starting July 24, 2020, the trials would start on or about June 14 if the same schedule as this year was used. Dana Vollmer is also headed back to the Olympics. Initially, referees ruled Adams was on her back and not her stomach coming out of the last turn of the four-lap race.
Advertisement
“I think I do my best when I’m given a greater challenge”, Franklin said. At the 100, she was 1.56 seconds ahead, and the noise built.
For anyone else, an easy win in a semifinal heat of a 200-meter race, by roughly a body-length, would be a huge success.
Lochte, gold in the event at London 2012 and bronze at Beijing 2008, touched the wall in Omaha in third place, a full second behind Litherland.
It was another frustrating evening for the injured Lochte, the 11-time Olympic medal victor denied a spot in an individual event for the second time in three days. However, just like Heat 1, it was the two middle lanes, and one of the adjacent lanes to the middle lanes that brought the heat.
Smith’s split at 250, 300 and 350 were faster than Ledecky’s, but both covered the final 50 in 30.30.
Smith is a four-time NCAA Champion, winning the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle events in both 2015 and 2016. Sarah Haase finished second, a second behind King. 2012 Olympian for the breaststroke, Breeja Larson, finished with a 1:07.62, two-hundredths of a second out of a spot in the finals.
From the starting horn, there was never any question as to which two swimmers were going to represent the U.S.in Rio in the women’s 100-meter butterfly.
The top six finishers in the 100 and 200 freestyles typically make the team and compose the relay pool of candidates.
As they did all they could to help Katie Ledecky chase yet another world record Monday night, fans at the CenturyLink Center noticed something unusual. “Not really”, he said during the post-race press conference.
Schmitt regained much of her form over the past 18 months, but she could not swim quite as fast as she did at her peak, and that’s what she would have needed to stay with Ledecky, who beat Missy Franklin by more than a second.
Katie Ledecky has set the bar so high, it’s a disappointment when she doesn’t set a world record.
After five events, only three members of the presumptive American men’s team for Rio have Olympic experience: Connor Jaeger (400 free), Dwyer (200 and 400), and Lochte (800 free relay).
Not to be overlooked in this performance was Leah Smith.
The runner-up was happy to simply be near Ledecky by the end of the race.
It is start of a particularly busy day for Franklin who will swim a double in the even session competing in the 200 free semi-finals and 100 metres backstroke. Lochte, hindered by a groin injury suffered on the breaststroke leg in the morning heats, took the final out fast, hoping to build an insurmountable lead. Like Murphy, Plummer was ahead of World Record pace at the turn but could not break the record either. Matt Grevers eked into the semifinals, grabbing the 16th and last position with a time of 49.55.
Advertisement
Franklin has experienced plenty of ups and downs since her golden swims in London, and she hasn’t quite been herself.
