US Olympic Trials, Day 6 Prelims: McGregory Leads a Tight Field in First Round of 200m Back

By Nicole Leffer

LONG BEACH, Calif., July 12. THIS morning’s prelims of the women’s 200m backstroke proved what many fans feared and many Olympic hopefuls were wishing for: an event that gives any person qualifying for tonight’s semifinal a legitimate shot at an Olympic berth.

Actually, any two people.

The overwhelming favorite for the first place spot in the 200m back coming into the meet was Margaret Hoelzer who was seeded with a 2:09.24, but Hoelzer’s swimming at Trials thus far has not been up to expectations. Her 2:14.49 this morning seeds her third going into tonight’s race.

It was Hayley McGregory who stole the show this morning, qualifying first in 2:14.06, but only 2.4 seconds separates McGregory from 16th place swimmer ,Beth Botsford, 1996 Olympic champion in the 100m back, who touched the wall in 2:16.50.

It took a 2:14.96 to get Maureen Farrell into her eighth place position tonight — a time that would have dropped her into the 13th slot if the performances followed the psych sheet.

Only 21 of the 46 swimmers even swam times that would have qualified them to swim the event at this year’s Olympic Trials, showing the crowd what pressure can do to performance. Even for experienced swimmers like Misty Hyman, who may have had one last shot at a place on the team if she swam up to her potential. Instead Hyman’s 2:18.39 left her 23rd, a time slower than the Olympic Trial cut.

Tonight’s semifinal probably will feature some faster swimming and with the close span of times in the top-16, it’s anybody’s ball game when it comes to making the final cut.

RESULTS

Event 24 Women 200 LC Meter Backstroke
==================================================================
World: W 2:06.62 8/25/1991 Krisztina Egerszegi, HUN
American: A 2:08.53 8/16/2002 Natalie A Coughlin, Cal
U.S. Open: O 2:07.83 7/25/1996 Krisztina Egerszegi, HUN
Meet: M 2:09.43 3/1992 Janie Wagstaff, KC Blazers
Oly. Tr. Cut: 2:17.99
Name Age Team Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Prelims ===

1 McGregory, Hayley 18 Longhorn Aquatic 2:12.79 2:14.06
31.50 1:05.51 (34.01)
1:40.59 (35.08) 2:14.06 (33.47)
2 Hayes, Jessica 21 Tucson Ford Deal 2:14.22 2:14.46
31.97 1:05.74 (33.77)
1:40.13 (34.39) 2:14.46 (34.33)
3 Hoelzer, Margaret 21 Auburn Aquatics/ 2:09.24 2:14.49
31.62 1:05.48 (33.86)
1:39.82 (34.34) 2:14.49 (34.67)
4 Volcan, Erin 20 Irvine Novaquati 2:13.82 2:14.56
31.73 1:04.92 (33.19)
1:39.11 (34.19) 2:14.56 (35.45)
5 Caverly, Kristen 19 Aquazot Swim Clu 2:15.43 2:14.66
31.70 1:05.63 (33.93)
1:40.30 (34.67) 2:14.66 (34.36)
6 Chura, Haley 18 City of Charlest 2:15.26 2:14.85
32.52 1:06.74 (34.22)
1:41.11 (34.37) 2:14.85 (33.74)
6 Retrum, Carmen 19 Donner Swim Club 2:14.54 2:14.85
32.38 1:06.21 (33.83)
1:40.48 (34.27) 2:14.85 (34.37)
8 Axtell, Andrea 17 Longhorn Aquatic 2:15.35 2:15.28
31.72 1:05.46 (33.74)
1:40.25 (34.79) 2:15.28 (35.03)
—————————————————————–
9 Smit, Julia 16 Three Village Sw 2:15.59 2:15.63
32.65 1:06.77 (34.12)
1:41.30 (34.53) 2:15.63 (34.33)
10 Farrell, Maureen 21 Canyons Aquatic/ 2:14.50 2:16.02
31.57 1:04.88 (33.31)
1:39.37 (34.49) 2:16.02 (36.65)
11 Weaner, Tricia 15 West Shore YMCA 2:14.90 2:16.04
32.66 1:07.29 (34.63)
1:42.17 (34.88) 2:16.04 (33.87)
12 Moss, Jeri 19 Irvine Novaquati 2:16.70 2:16.15
32.17 1:05.86 (33.69)
1:40.82 (34.96) 2:16.15 (35.33)
13 Meissner, Erica 15 Magnus Aquatic G 2:14.62 2:16.17
32.47 1:06.10 (33.63)
1:41.19 (35.09) 2:16.17 (34.98)
14 Hanson, Pamela 25 Tennessee Aquati 2:13.56 2:16.19
32.72 1:06.91 (34.19)
1:41.90 (34.99) 2:16.19 (34.29)
15 Reid, Jamie 20 Highlander Aquat 2:11.62 2:16.23
31.91 1:05.93 (34.02)
1:40.93 (35.00) 2:16.23 (35.30)
16 Botsford, Beth 23 Tucson Ford Deal 2:15.24 2:16.50
32.10 1:06.50 (34.40)
1:41.68 (35.18) 2:16.50 (34.82)
—————————————————————–
17 Johnson, Susan 19 Wisconsin Aquati 2:15.72 2:16.91
32.52 1:06.39 (33.87)
1:41.05 (34.66) 2:16.91 (35.86)
18 Rogers, Lauren 17 Terrapins Swim T 2:14.86 2:17.24
32.42 1:06.78 (34.36)
1:42.33 (35.55) 2:17.24 (34.91)
—————————————————————–
19 Harrigan, Kelly 19 Rutgers Swimming 2:15.52 2:17.35
32.02 1:06.49 (34.47)
1:41.83 (35.34) 2:17.35 (35.52)
20 Jones, Ashley 16 Joliet Jets Y Sw 2:16.79 2:17.63
32.79 1:06.94 (34.15)
1:42.76 (35.82) 2:17.63 (34.87)
21 Watanabe, Naoko 22 Ucla Swimming 2:17.95 2:17.65
32.71 1:07.36 (34.65)
1:42.63 (35.27) 2:17.65 (35.02)
22 McCawley, Margo 17 Memphis Thunder 2:17.74 2:18.07
33.55 1:07.88 (34.33)
1:42.72 (34.84) 2:18.07 (35.35)
23 Hyman, Misty 25 Arizona Desert F 2:17.04 2:18.39
31.86 1:06.56 (34.70)
1:42.30 (35.74) 2:18.39 (36.09)
24 Gordon, Katie 20 Trinity Prep Aqu 2:16.70 2:18.54
33.51 1:08.08 (34.57)
1:43.39 (35.31) 2:18.54 (35.15)
25 Thompson, Kathryn 17 Roseburg Swim Te 2:15.85 2:18.61
32.45 1:06.68 (34.23)
1:42.10 (35.42) 2:18.61 (36.51)
26 Aveyard, Jessica 24 Illini Aquatics/ 2:13.99 2:18.74
33.40 1:07.83 (34.43)
1:43.26 (35.43) 2:18.74 (35.48)
27 Hart, Lindsay 18 Orinda Aquatics 2:17.37 2:19.01
32.95 1:07.45 (34.50)
1:43.37 (35.92) 2:19.01 (35.64)
28 Patterson, Courtney 21 Aggie Swim Club/ 2:17.90 2:19.05
33.31 1:08.42 (35.11)
1:44.13 (35.71) 2:19.05 (34.92)
29 McLane, Julianne 16 Terrapins Swim T 2:17.57 2:19.59
32.03 1:06.56 (34.53)
1:42.85 (36.29) 2:19.59 (36.74)
30 Kalisz, Courtney 14 North Baltimore 2:17.25 2:19.70
32.77 1:07.63 (34.86)
1:43.90 (36.27) 2:19.70 (35.80)
31 Kozak, Marisa 21 Bend Swim Club/U 2:17.85 2:19.74
33.57 1:08.58 (35.01)
1:44.38 (35.80) 2:19.74 (35.36)
32 Forster, Erin 18 Wtrc Sharks 2:16.21 2:20.07
32.23 1:06.94 (34.71)
1:42.26 (35.32) 2:20.07 (37.81)
33 Francik, Courtney 16 North Baltimore 2:17.74 2:20.52
32.96 1:07.89 (34.93)
1:44.05 (36.16) 2:20.52 (36.47)
34 Skolaski, Jennifer 21 Wisconsin Aquati 2:17.71 2:20.53
32.14 1:07.42 (35.28)
1:43.86 (36.44) 2:20.53 (36.67)
35 Sturdy, Rebecca 19 Aggie Swim Club/ 2:15.67 2:20.58
33.10 1:08.25 (35.15)
1:44.41 (36.16) 2:20.58 (36.17)
36 Walker, Beverly 17 Dynamo Swim Club 2:16.53 2:20.78
33.68 1:08.51 (34.83)
1:44.91 (36.40) 2:20.78 (35.87)
37 Berg, Corey 19 University Of Vi 2:16.46 2:20.81
33.88 1:09.24 (35.36)
1:45.14 (35.90) 2:20.81 (35.67)
38 Silver, Helen 20 California Aquat 2:17.54 2:21.28
32.38 1:07.12 (34.74)
1:43.66 (36.54) 2:21.28 (37.62)
39 Voyles, Lindsay 18 Longhorn Aquatic 2:17.97 2:21.94
32.27 1:07.67 (35.40)
1:44.67 (37.00) 2:21.94 (37.27)
40 Cruzat, Jessica 18 Irvine Novaquati 2:17.40 2:22.07
32.73 1:07.63 (34.90)
1:43.98 (36.35) 2:22.07 (38.09)
41 Harris, Kristen 19 Scarlet Aquatic 2:17.32 2:22.09
32.84 1:08.63 (35.79)
1:45.18 (36.55) 2:22.09 (36.91)
42 Lamb, Trisha 20 Cincy Marlins/Mi 2:17.92 2:22.89
33.46 1:09.07 (35.61)
1:45.97 (36.90) 2:22.89 (36.92)
43 Houlton, Molly 16 Tucson Ford Deal 2:16.42 2:23.89
33.34 1:09.99 (36.65)
1:46.54 (36.55) 2:23.89 (37.35)
44 Barton, Ann 19 Scottsdale Aquat 2:17.94 2:24.63
33.72 1:09.29 (35.57)
1:46.91 (37.62) 2:24.63 (37.72)
45 Henriques, Alice 23 Curl-Burke Swim/ 2:15.89 2:25.38
33.42 1:09.45 (36.03)
1:47.22 (37.77) 2:25.38 (38.16)
46 Werner, Kelly 20 Rec Plex Swim Te 2:17.68 2:27.37
33.94 1:09.41 (35.47)
1:47.27 (37.86) 2:27.37 (40.10)

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use