Connor Jaeger Gives Up Spot on 800 Free Relay for Teammate Michael Klueh

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, June 29. IN what will be remembered as one of the most sportsmanlike moves in swimming, Connor Jaeger took himself out of contention as an alternate for the United States' 4×200 freestyle relay at the world championships, which bumped up Club Wolverine teammate Michael Klueh to the squad.

Jaeger placed sixth in the 200 free final at the USA Swimming nationals, while Klueh was originally seventh. The top four finishers in the 200 free were automatically added to the world championship team for relay purposes, while fifth and sixth place finishers were added later in the meet as alternates to swim in prelims and allow the top two swimmers a chance to rest for finals.

This would be Kleuh's first trip to the long course world championships. He was a part of the gold medal-winning 800 free relay at last year's short course world championships. He suffered similar heartbreak at the 2012 Olympic Trials, when he was third in the 400 free and eighth in the 200 free.

Last year, when Michael Phelps gave up his spot in the individual 200 freestyle, it bumped Davis Tarwater from unlucky seventh in the 200 free to spot on the world championship team. That would have moved Klueh into that unlucky seventh-place spot in Omaha.

Full USA world championship roster

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