Three Hoosiers alums, Zach Apple, Cody Miller and Blake Pieroni, advanced to semifinal heats, while redshirt junior Michael Brinegar nabbed a spot in the 800m Freestyle Finals on day four of the 2020 Olympic Trials at the CHI Health Center on Wednesday morning.
The Wave II eight-day Trials competition serves as the sole qualifier for pool swimmers on the U.S. Olympic Team for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The top 16 times out of the preliminary heats will form the semifinals for all events at 200m or less, with the top eight semifinalists advancing to the finals. In events 400m or longer, the top eight swimmers out of the preliminary heats will head straight to the finals.
Athletes will earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team roster at each of the eight finals sessions.
100m FREESTYLE
Blake Pieroni used a monster back half to earn the second seed in the semifinal round at the conclusion of the men’s 100m Freestyle preliminary heats. He was the only swimmer in the field to return under 25 seconds (24.95) to finish at 48.14. Zach Apple won the final heat of the prelims to finish third overall at 48.21.
Jack Franzman finished 39th overall, besting his entry rank by over 25 spots, with a time of 50.02, over 0.3 seconds faster than his career-best time.
200m BUTTERFLY
After a couple of close calls in the prelims of the IM events, rising senior Mackenzie Looze finished 35th overall with a time of 2:16.88 in the women’s 200m Butterfly prelims.
200m BREASTSTROKE
Olympic bronze medalist Cody Miller earned a second swim by finishing 11th in the preliminary heats of the men’s 200m Breaststroke with a time of 2:12.17.
Indiana signee Josh Matheny registered a time of 2:13.88 to place 20th overall. Sophomore-to-be Maxwell Reich finished 22nd with a time of 2:14.04 and Wave I qualifier Tristan DeWitt placed 47th at 2:18.47.
800m FREESTYLE
2021 Big Ten Champion Michael Brinegar earned the fourth-fastest preliminary time in the 800m Freestyle at 7:55.50 to earn a spot in Thursday night’s final.
Pro swimmer Zane Grothe placed 12th with a time of 8:00.00. Rising senior Mikey Calvillo finished 32nd at 8:11.32 and senior Ben McDade placed 45th out of the prelims with a time of 8:19.83.
FINAL RESULTS
MEN’S 100m FREESTYLE
- Blake Pieroni – 48.14 ^
- Zach Apple – 48.21 ^
- Jack Franzman – 50.02
WOMEN’S 200m BUTTERFLY
- Mackenzie Looze – 2:16.88
MEN’S 200m BREASTSTROKE
- Cody Miller – 2:12.17 ^
- Josh Matheny – 2:13.88
- Maxwell Reich – 2:14.04
- Tristan DeWitt – 2:18.47
MEN’S 800m FREESTYLE
- Michael Brinegar – 7:55.50 *
- Zane Grothe – 8:00.00
- Mikey Calvillo – 8:11.32
- Ben McDade – 8:19.83
Advanced to Semifinals ^
Advanced to Finals *
The evening session will begin at approximately 7:45 p.m. tonight with Hoosier representation in the semifinals of the men’s 100m Freestyle, men’s 200m Breaststroke and finals of the men’s 200m Butterfly.
