Twelve Ohio State swimmers competed in the Wave II part of the U.S. Olympic trials at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, from June 13-20. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Twelve Ohio State swimmers competed in Wave II of the U.S. Olympic trials at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, according to the Men’s Swim & Dive website.
The group of eight men and four women swam a variety of events from June 13-20, with a total of four athletes moving past their heats. One Buckeye swimmer, sophomore Hunter Armstrong, qualified for the U.S. Olympic team that will compete at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in late July.
The northeastern Ohio native was seventh at the 50-meter mark of his 100-meter backstroke race in the finals June 15. After his turn, Armstrong swam the fastest second half, passing Michael Andrew — who went pro at the age of 14 and won the 100-meter breaststroke the night before — and Matt Grevers — 2012 London gold medalist and 2008 Beijing silver medalist in the event.
Armstrong finished second with a time of 52.48 seconds behind 2016 Rio de Janeiro gold medalist and world record holder in the event, Ryan Murphy. Armstrong holds the fifth-fastest time of any American in the event.
Armstrong is the first male Ohio State swimmer to compete at the Olympics since 1956, according to university archives.
Armstrong also swam the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 49.31, which placed him 19th out of 60 in the heats portion of the event.
Freshman Charlie Clark from Sandusky, Ohio, swam the 1,500-meter freestyle and was the only other Buckeye to qualify for finals in an event. In the heats, the 18-year-old swam a 15:22.01, placing sixth out of 35 swimmers. At finals, Clark dropped 7.9 seconds and one seed, swimming a 15:14.11 and placing fifth out of the eight-man race.
Clark also placed 10th out of 49 swimmers in the 800-meter freestyle with a time of 7:58.50 and swam the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 3:55.60, placing 32nd out of 48.
Sophomore Hannah Bach and junior Jason Mathews — both Ohio natives — competed at semifinals in the 100-meter breaststroke but did not advance to finals in their event.
Bach swam a time of 1:07.89 in the heats, placing 10th out of 54. During the evening semifinals, she placed 14th out of 16, swimming with a time of 1:08.62, which was 0.73 seconds slower than her morning swim.
Mathews swam a time of 1:00.81 in his heat, placing 16th out of 49 swimmers — earning the last spot in the semifinals. In the semifinal, he dropped two spots to finish 14th, swimming a 1:00.85 — 0.04 seconds slower than his time in the heats.
Mathews also competed in the 200-meter breaststroke June 16, placing 19th out of 49 swimmers with a time of 2:13.69.
Along with Mathews in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke was senior Evan McFadden and junior Hudson McDaniel.
In the 100-meter breaststroke, McDaniel swam a time of 1:01.13 and placed 19th out of the 49 men, while McFadden swam a time of 1:01.87 and placed six spots behind at 25th.
McFadden also swam the 200-meter breaststroke, joining his fellow Buckeye competitor Mathews, swimming a time of 2:16.48 and placing 38th out of 49.
Half of the Ohio State group of swimmers only swam in the heats at Wave II of the trials.
Senior Drew Loy swam a total of four events stretching 600 meters. In the 100-meter freestyle he swam a time of 49.87, placing 31st out of 60 and 12 spots behind the Buckeyes’ Olympic qualifier, Armstrong.
Loy also swam the 200-meter individual medley, placing 30th out of 50 with a time of 2:02.94, 200-meter freestyle, placing 28th out of 50 with a time of 1:49.60, and the 100-meter butterfly, placing 39th out of 60 with a time of 53.64 seconds.
Also in the 100-meter butterfly was senior Alex Dillmann, swimming a time of 54.17 seconds, placing 47th out of 60 — eight seeds behind Loy. Dillmann doubled the laps to swim the 200-meter butterfly as well, placing 39th out of 48 with a time of 2:01.38.
The last member from Ohio State men’s swimming competing in Wave II was senior Daniel Gloude, swimming both individual medleys. In the 200-meter IM, Gloude swam a 2:02.78, placing 26th out of 50. In the 400-meter IM, he placed 31st out of 38 with a time of 4:29.
Of the remaining 12 swimmers to travel to Omaha were senior Katie Trace, junior Sally Tafuto and incoming freshman Malia Rausch.
Trace swam three events during Wave II.
On the first day of trials, she swam the 400-meter IM with a time of 4:48.63, placing 24th out of 42. She then split the amount of laps in that event between her next two events, swimming the 200-meter IM with a time of 2:19.90, placing 49th out of 51, and the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:14.44, landing 30th out of 37.
Tafuto swam the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 4:19.38, placing 42nd out of 48.
Rausch announced her verbal commitment to Ohio State March 31 for the class of 2025, according to SwimSwam.
In the 200-meter IM, Rausch placed 47th out of 51 with a time of 2:18.83, while placing 33rd of 48 with a time of 4:17.44 in the 400-meter freestyle.
