Apple, Pieroni Secure Freestyle Final Spots Gambardella Finishes Sixth in Butterfly Final

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OMAHA, Neb. – Pro swimmers Zach Apple and Blake Pieroni set themselves up for a big final on Thursday night with Olympic spots on the line in the 100m Freestyle on day four of the 2020 Olympic Trials at the CHI Health Center on Wednesday night.

 

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.

 

200m BUTTERFLY

Corey Gambardella placed sixth in the 200m Butterfly final with a time of 1:56.79. His final 50m (30.77) marked the third-quickest return in the field and he was one of only three swimmers to break 31 seconds on the final length.

 

100m FREESTYLE

Zach Apple nearly chased down Caeleb Dressel (47.77) in the second heat of the men’s 100m Freestyle semifinals before finishing second overall with a time of 47.78, just off his lifetime best and seed time of 47.78. Blake Pieroni is positioned well after winning the first heat of the semis with a time of 48.13. He will be seeded third in the Thursday night final.

 

200m BREASTSTROKE

Olympic bronze medalist Cody Miller started fast but could not hold the pace in the second heat of the semifinals in the 200m Breaststroke and finished 14th overall with a time of 2:12.72 to end his run at the 2020 Olympic Trials.

 

FINAL RESULTS

MEN’S 200m BUTTERFLY

  1. Corey Gambardella – 1:56.79

 

MEN’S 100m FREESTYLE

  1. Zach Apple – 47:78 *
  2. Blake Pieroni – 48:13 *

 

MEN’S 200m BREASTSTROKE

  1. Cody Miller – 2:12.72

 

Advanced to Finals *

 

Preliminary heats of the Olympic Trials will continue on Thursday morning with Hoosier representation in the men’s 200m Backstroke, women’s 200m Breaststroke and men’s 200m IM. Action is slated to begin at 11 a.m. ET.

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