US Olympic Trials: Liam Bresette Runs Down Wave I Field; Malia Rausch Steals 200 Free From Lane Eight

Photo Courtesy: Malia Rausch

US Olympic Trials: Liam Bresette Runs Down Field; Malia Rausch Steals 200 Free From Lane Eight

18-year-old Malia Rausch led from the outset in the final of the 200 freestyle at the US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska as the Austin Swim Club swimmer won from lane eight with a 2:00.93. The time was not a best time for her, but it was enough to qualify her for the Wave II Olympic Trials in Omaha next week as she held off a hard charging Autumn Haebig of Nebraska (2:00.94).

Rausch was out in the lead at 59.12 with Haebig sitting in eighth at 1:00.19. Rausch started to pull away from the pack on the third 50, splitting a 30.87 which was only bested by Haebig on the third 50 at 30.51. The Husker pulled all the way to second and the race was on, with Rausch breathing away from the entire field out in lane eight with Haebig closing. Haebig split a 30.24 with Rausch at 30.94 but it was just enough for the Ohio State commit as she was a 2:00.8 earlier this year to qualify for this meet. Haebig’s best was a 2:00.5 from the 2019 Nationals as she even split the race at 1:00.1 / 1:00.8.

Haebig already qualified for US Olympic Trials Wave II in the 100 backstroke last night as she picked up another event. Georgia’s Jillian Barczyk (2:01.35) finished in third in her second best ever with 16-year-old Summer Cardwell in fourth at 2:01.74, who was 65th all-time in the 15-16 age group.

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Results:

Malia Rausch, 2:00.93
Autumn Haebig, 2:00.94
Jillian Barczyk, 2:01.35
Summer Cardwell, 2:01.74
Anna Peplowski, 2:02.52
Ella Bathurst, 2:02.54
Addison Smith, 2:03.15
Elle Caldow, 2:04.98

Two current and future Arizona State Sun Devils clinched the two spots to make US Olympic Trials Wave II in the 200 freestyle as senior Liam Bresette (1:49.22) and incoming freshman Patrick Sammon (1:49.30) finished 1-2. Bresette swam a similar race to Nebraska’s Haebig earlier in the women’s race, flipping fourth at the 100 with a 52.94 while Sammon, using his 100 speed, was leading at 52.41.

Sammon had already made the Wave II meet in the 100 freestyle last night and took control of the heat on the third 50, splitting a 28.30 on the third length, the fastest of the field, while Bresette moved up to third to challenge NC State’s Luke Miller out in lane 1.

The race came down to those three on the final 50 but Bresette had the only sub-28 in the final 50 with a 27.88 to out-touch Sammon, with Miller in third at 1:49.99. The time is a best for Sammon, who was a 1:49.7 earlier this year while Bresette improved on his best of 1:49.7 as well.

Results:

Liam Bresette, 1:49.22
Patrick Sammon, 1:49.30
Luke Miller, 1:49.99
Michael Petrides, 1:50.68
Will Jackson, 1:51.76
Ryan Waters, 1:52.00
Jack Wright, 1:52.09
Wen Zhang, 1:53.65

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