Swimmers Gretchen Walsh, Nic Fink add their names to US team for Paris Games
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Gretchen Walsh and Nic Fink won the 100m butterfly and 100m breaststroke respectively.
PHOTOS: AFP
INDIANAPOLIS – Gretchen Walsh backed up her world record performance in the semi-finals of the 100m butterfly by winning the final on June 16, while Nic Fink held on to win the 100m breaststroke, as both swimmers secured spots on the United States team for the Paris Olympics.
Walsh brought the house down at Lucas Oil Stadium on June 15 when she broke the record and almost did it again, touching the wall in 55.31 seconds, shy of her freshly minted record of 55.18sec.
“I’m still in shock, I don’t even know what to say,” said the 21-year-old, after booking her first trip to the Games.
“Making the team was the biggest goal but getting a world record was absolute insanity.”
Torri Huske was second in 55.52sec.
Fink got off to a blistering start and fended off a late challenge from second-place finisher Charlie Swanson (59.16sec) to punch his ticket to a second Games in 59.08sec.
The soon-to-be father was cheered on by his pregnant wife Melanie, who shed tears after he touched the wall first on Father’s Day.
“That’s a win for me but it’s really a win for everybody in my life. My wife and I have had an equal share in this pregnancy so far, so she’s been great,” Fink said to laughter from the thousands on hand for the second night of the nine-day trials.
He finished fifth in the 200m breaststroke at the Tokyo Games and considered putting less priority on swimming but the 30-year-old now finds himself heading back to the sport’s biggest stage.
“It takes a village to get this old man this far,” Fink said. “I need a lot of help and I’ve got more than enough of it.”
Carson Foster will be making his Olympic debut after his triumph in the 400m individual medley (4:07.64). The 22-year-old was overcome with emotion after adding his name to the team.
Carson Foster was overcome with emotion after adding his name to the US team by winning the 400m IM.
“I have probably 25 family and friends in the stands and I wish I could just jump that fence and go hug them,” he said.
Tokyo Games champion Chase Kalisz, who also took silver in Rio, was second in 4:09.39.
Seven-gold Olympic champion Katie Ledecky won her 200m freestyle semi-final and will be top seed for the final.
She qualified for her fourth Games on June 15 with a dominant victory in the 400m freestyle before a crowd of 20,689, a record number for a swimming meet.
REUTERS
