U.S. Olympic Trials: Conor Dwyer Secures Top Seed in 200 IM Semis

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OMAHA, Nebraska, June 29. CONOR Dwyer emerged from a star-studded field in the men's 200 IM prelims with the top seed heading into semis at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Dwyer threw down a time of 1:59.11, not far off his lifetime best of 1:58.64, to lead the way into semis. Dwyer has had an incredible meet thus far, making the Olympic squad in the 400 free and the 800 free relay. He will have some work to do to hold off the big names in the next two stages of the event, but is in a good spot to make a run for a third Olympic event.

Michael Phelps, who has the top time in the world this year with a 1:56.32 just ahead of Laszlo Cseh's 1:56.66, cruised into semis with a 1:59.27. Phelps is the two-time defending champion in the event, having won the event in 2004 and 2008, and will be looking to add a third threepeat to his resume after becoming the first person to win three straight titles in a pair of events with title defenses in the 200 free and 200 fly earlier in the week.

Austin Surhoff, who has been focusing on this event since taking 15th in the 400 IM, qualified third in 1:59.65, smashing his personal best time of 2:01.04. He placed 13th in the 200 IM back in 2008, and is looking to improve upon that effort.

Ryan Lochte, who already won the 400 IM to kick off the week, is looking for an IM sweep after taking second in the 200 free and scratching the 100 free finals to focus on his double today. He already led qualifying in the men's 200 back this morning with a 1:57.24. Peter Vanderkaay, the men's 400 free winner on night one, qualified fifth in 2:00.01. Jack Brown (2:01.85), Chase Kalisz (2:01.93) and Robert Margalis (2:02.15) comprised the rest of the championship heat.

Cody Miller, who made the 200 breast semis yesterday after a suit malfunction, made semis out of heat 5 of 13 with a 2:02.29 for his second swim of the day.

The Semifinalists:
Conor Dwyer — 1:59.11
Michael Phelps — 1:59.27
Austin Surhoff — 1:59.65
Ryan Lochte — 1:59.92
Peter Vanderkaay — 2:00.01
Jack Brown — 2:01.85
Chase Kalisz — 2:01.93
Robert Margalis — 2:02.15
Tyler Harris — 2:02.20
Cody Miller — 2:02.29
Kyle Whitaker — 2:02.45
Ben Hinshaw — 2:02.53
Josh Prenot — 2:02.58
Austen Thompson — 2:02.59
Woody Joye — 2:02.95
Kevin Webster — 2:03.05

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