2016 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS
- Sunday June 26th-Sunday July 3rd, 2016
- Century Link Center – Omaha, Nebraska
- Friday-Sunday – Prelims – 11:00 am EDT Finals – 7:45 pm EDT
- SwimSwam Preview Links & Schedule
- NBC Televison Coverage Schedule
- Psych Sheets
- Live results
Four-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin and three-time Olympic gold medalist (12 time Olympic medalist) Natalie Coughlin will swim in the outside lanes of the women’s 100 backstroke final tomorrow.
The duo finished seventh and eighth in semifinals tonight, coming in just a hundredth of a second apart in 1:00.45 and 1:00.46.
Though the starpower will be in the outside lanes of the final, the speed and power from earlier in the meet will sit in the middle lanes of the final.
Most notably, Olivia Smoliga will swim in lane four tomorrow, after becoming the fifth-fastest American in history in the event. Smoliga clocked 59.16 tonight; and she now ranks behind Franklin (58.33), Coughlin (58.94), Rachel Bootsma (59.10), and Hayley McGregory (59.11) in the all-time American rankings.
Kathleen Baker is the second seed tomorrow night with 59.36. Amy Bilquist also came in under a minute, clocking 59.85.
See the full results of the women’s 100 back semifinals here.
It is very sad that the two ladies that win the last THREE Olympic golds in this event won’t even she the team. Natalie was 59 low last year but no were near that this year. she is the type of backstroker that is powerful and needs to be out front with 25 to go. Missy on the other hand is a great second 50
Backstroker but her second wasn’t that great in the semi (5th best of all ladies that made the final). Add the fact that she is 3/4 of a body behind the leader after the 25 meters she hardlly has any chance. If no one could swim 59.6 or better we could say Shane missy… Read more »
Missy is still a favorite to make the relay in the 200 free, she just needs to manage te rounds and the stress of the double tonite. In the 200 back the start is much less of an impact on the outcome. Again, If Missy can manage her rounds she has as good a shot as anyone.
Lochte I will be really rooting for tonite. He’s off a bit health wise and tonite is his closest to sure shot to punch a ticket. If he manages his race and executes, he’ll make it.
Note to future Olympic aspirants: don’t do commercials, don’t pose in Olympic outfits before Trials. Bad karma. Really really bad karma. All swimmers are superstitious… Read more »
It’ll be Baker & Smoliga tomorrow. Hopefully Missy & her coach can honestly assess that she should reserve her energy for the 200 instead. She actually has a chance in that event, although Smith is looking dangerous all of a sudden. Too bad for Coughlin having peaked a year early. Pretty sure her 59.05 from last year would make the team tomorrow.
There has to be a back problem. Todd and Missy knew that Missy’s starts were horrible coming into OT. And I think they would have worked on them if they could. Your starts just don’t all of a sudden become that bad and you have been swimming backstroke all your life. I think her back injury may have been more serious than we were told. I pray none of this is true. Lets go Missy!!!
There is a back problem going back to 2014; it was completely better as of about a year ago but it’s been niggling her off and on since then and affecting her start the most. It’s been mentioned this week.
This race is gonna make me so sad.
Missy’s start is terrible…she is to far behind when she breaks out to make up..
Interested to see her free events because she looks weak to me racing…or her start is just that bad.
Natalie has good speed going out but can’t seem to get home and finish races…was also the case in 2012 at this meet.
Neither will make the 100 back team…
I don’t think Natalie will scratch. She won’t make the team in this event, but I doubt she will scratch. She was seeded first in this event and she’s too good of a sportswoman to scratch a final like this. This looks like the 2012 OT playing out all over again for Nat. She swam poorly in the the prelims and semis in 2012. She swam in an outside lane to finish third in the finals.
Right! Lets talk about some else