Trials Throwback: Men’s 200 Breast in 2012

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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Just three days to go until Olympic Trials get underway in Omaha, Neb. But before the meet, we wanted to look back at some of the great moments from past editions of the meet held inside the CenturyLink Center. Welcome to #TrialsThrowback!

In 2008, the 200 breast final at Olympic Trials was supposed to be all about Brendan Hansen and Eric Shanteau. And all was going to according plan until the last 50—when, all of the sudden, things weren’t going according to plan anymore. We told you all about that last week, so you can read about it here.

Well, four years later, and the 200 breast final was once again supposed to be all about Brendan Hansen and Eric Shanteau. Both men had already made the team in the 100 breast. Hansen was the former world record-holder, and Shanteau entered as the American record-holder.

But former NCAA champion Clark Burckle had declared his presence in the semifinals, taking the top seed in 2:10.01. Also in the final was Elliott Keefer, a member of the Pan Pacs team in 2010, and Scott Weltz, who had finished 38th in the event four years earlier. Weltz, though, had been a surprise finalist in the 100 breast and had already cut more than a second from his lifetime best in the 200 to qualify fourth for the final in 2:10.99.

Hansen and Shanteau led through the first half of the race, but Burckle and Weltz came charging on the third 50. Shanteau was still first at the final wall in 1:35.80, but all four men were within three tenths of each other, and it was anyone’s race on the way home.

What happened next stunned the sellout crowd at the CenturyLink Center and millions more watching on television. The men in the three middle lanes had the résumés, but Weltz had what mattered—the lead. The former UC-Davis swimmer was pulling away.

Weltz touched in 2:09.01, winning the race by almost a second. Shanteau looked like he had the edge on Burckle for the second spot, but Burckle somehow got in just ahead, touching in 2:09.97. Burckle was an Olympian, just as older sister Caroline Burckle had been four years earlier in Beijing.

Shanteau finished third in 2:10.05, and Hansen was fourth in 2:10.25.

Weltz and Burckle finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in London. Hansen ended up winning a surprise bronze medal in the 100 breast—beating out longtime rival Kosuke Kitajima in the process. Shanteau did not make it past the semifinals in that event.

Photo Courtesy: OMEGA Timing

Check out our previous #TrialsThrowbacks:
Men’s 400 IM in 2008
Women’s 400 IM in 2008
Women’s 100 Back in 2008
Men’s 200 Breast in 2008
Men’s 200 Back in 2008
Men’s 100 Back in 2012
Women’s 100 Breast in 2012
Women’s 200 IM in 2012

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Wayne McCauley

7 years ago

I love Scott Weltz’s stroke, he had better technique that the others. Brendan Hanson’s stroke technique did not improve since the 2004 trials.