OMAHA, Neb. | Missy Franklin has a busy night ahead after qualifying for the semifinals of the women’s 200 meter freestyle Wednesday at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
The 17-year-old Colorado Stars swimmer, a senior-to-be at Regis Jesuit High School, posted the third-fastest time in the 200 freestyle prelims at CenturyLink Center with a mark of 1 minute, 58.62 seconds. Allison Schmitt had the top qualifying time of 1:58.02, followed by Dana Vollmer in 1:58.34. Both have already qualified for the Olympic Team.
Franklin will swim in one of the two 200 freestyle semifinals at 5:51 p.m. and 5:56 p.m. MT, then she’ll get her first shot at making the squad headed to London in the finals of the 100 meter backstroke, which are slated for 7:23 p.m.
Mission Aurora Colorado Swimming standout and Cherry Creek High School graduate Bonnie Brandon will be right next to Franklin in the backstroke finals, where two Olympic spots are on the line.
Also swimming in the prelims of the 200 freestyle was Franklin’s Stars teammate and Smoky Hill graduate Caroline Piehl, who finished 56th out of 99 swimmers with a time of 2:03.21. The current University of Cal swimmer came into the event seeded 79th. Piehl is in action later in the morning session in the 200 individual medley.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at [email protected] or 303-750-7555
