Ledecky, already on the team in the 400 free, looks to lock up a second event.
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Phelps made it three-for-three at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, rallying on the return lap to win the 100-meter butterfly on Saturday night in Omaha, Nebraska. “Not super happy with the performance but that’s not what matters here”, said Shields, who fell short of his best time of 51.03 but clocked the third-fastest time in the world in 2016.
The 200m medley in Rio will not be a match race if Hagino has anything to do with it.
“I have a lot of emotion here”, Phelps said.
Michael Phelps prepares to compete in the preliminary round of the men’s 200-meter breaststroke at the the USA swimming nationals, Monday, Aug. 10, 2015, in San Antonio. Franklin finished second in 2:07.89. “I was walking over with [his coach] Bob [Bowman] today”, Phelps recalled, “and I was saying there is no way I am going to lose my last meet on American soil”.
“If he doesn’t I’ve got to fire him”, Phelps quipped.
The top six finishers are all placed in the USA relay pool.
“Took care of business and now I’m going to Rio”, Ledecky said.
Ledecky was on world-record pace much of the race before posting her second time in the 8:10 range this week. His can-I-get-you-a-cane walk following an event or two in the U.S. Olympic trials showed that. She was the top-ranked American in the event going into the trials and all eyes should be on her for the finals on Sunday. “I would have liked to have been faster, but I could kind of tell during that race that it wasn’t going to be faster than yesterday”, she said.
As a three-time defending gold medalist in the 200 IM, Phelps will be the favorite.
Two women also top the world list, Katie Ledecky (200, 400, 800 free) and Lilly King (100 breast).
Also qualifying for the evening semi-finals were Kelsi Worrell, victor of the 100 butterfly, Olivia Smoliga, victor of the 200 back and Abbey Weitzeil, the 100 free champion.
In, are a wave of first time Olympians, including Maya DiRado who qualified in three events.
Nathan Adrian, right, and Anthony Ervin react after the men’s 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Saturday, July 2, 2016, in Omaha, Neb.
“I feel like people bought into, ‘OK, this is their last go-round, it’s time for me to step up.’ The doors opened and some young people sensed that”.
That same event became his Brazilian ticket this time around, when a second-place finish behind University of California teammate and fellow first-timer Ryan Murphy prompted a celebration.
This includes the 50-meter freestyle finals for the women and the 1,500-meter freestyle finals for the men.
Phelps led at every turn on Friday, but Lochte was closing in coming off the final turn into the closing freestyle leg.
“It’s scary for us veterans”, Hardy said, “but it’s really wonderful to see (the newcomers)”.
Australia’s Cate Campbell celebrates after breaking the women’s 100 meters freestyle world record in Brisbane.
Her arms were exhausted after swimming three heats in the unfamiliar 100 free, where she finished seventh, during the previous two days.
“I would’ve loved to have gone faster, but I’ll take it”, she said.
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Franklin was far from the force she was in 2012, when her seven-event London slate produced four gold medals, but she qualified to defend her 200m backstroke gold and to swim the 200m free with runner-up finishes.
