Swimdiana: 'We are not just good at basketball here. We are good at swimming, too.'
Here are the highlights of Day 3 of the USA Swimming Olympic Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium:
Top story
After sending a record five swimmers to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the state of Indiana is again sending five to Paris 2024. Evansville’s Lilly King won the 100-meter breaststroke, and three others from state high schools made it in the 200-meter freestyle as relay swimmers: Alex Shackell and Drew Kibler, both of Carmel, and Blake Pieroni of Chesterton. (Six swimmers are customarily chosen out of the 100 and 200 freestyles.) Moreover, Notre Dame’s Chris Guiliano made the team by placing second in the 200 free, and Indiana University’s Anna Peplowski did so by placing fifth in the 200 free. Aaron Shackell, brother of Alex, made the team by winning the 400 freestyle Saturday night.
Magical moment
Katie Grimes, 18, of Las Vegas won the 400 individual medley over Emma Weyant, 4:35.00 to 4:35.36. At 15, Grimes was the youngest member of the 2021 Olympic swim team and finished fourth in the 800 freestyle at Tokyo.
Buzzworthy
In a semifinal of the 100 backstroke, Regan Smith set an American record of 57.47, breaking the record of 57.51 she set May 24 at Irvine, Calif. The final is Tuesday night.Kaylee McKeown of Australia set the world record of 57.33 on Oct. 21, 2023.
Stats of the day
King became the second American to make three Olympic teams in the 100 breaststroke. The other is Amanda Beard, who swam breaststroke at four Olympics (1996-2000-2004-2008). King is 19-of-19 in making the U.S. team for a major international meet (Olympics, worlds, Pan Pacs), dating to 2016.
Also, King, Ryan Murphy and Katie Ledecky are three of nine swimmers to win the same event at three Olympic Trials. The others are Eleanor Holm, Mary T. Meagher, Janet Evans Gary Hall Jr., Brendan Hansen and Michael Phelps.
Quote of the day
“You know, we think of, oh, California, Texas, like the big states, they are good at swimming. But we are not just good at basketball here. We are good at swimming, too." — Lilly King
What’s up next
Tuesday night’s finals include the men’s 1,500 freestyle, in which Luke Whitlock qualified first on Monday. Whitlock, a Noblesville 18-year-old, represents the Fishers Area Swimming Tigers. Smith is on world record watch in the 100 backstroke. There are semifinals in the 200 breaststroke, in which IU’s Josh Matheny is a top contender, and in men’s and women’s 100 freestyles.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: USA Swimming Olympic trials Day 3 recap: Indiana swimmers make team
