Sept. 24, 2014
USA Swimming Release and Qualifying Times
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Nearly two years before the start of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, USA Swimming announced the qualifying time standards for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, held June 26-July 3 in Omaha, Neb.
Twenty-one months until the Olympic Trials and two months into the qualifying process, 11 Kentucky swimmers have met qualifying times. Times must be achieved in a USA Swimming sanctioned, observed or approved competition between July 30, 2014, and the 2015 Olympic Trial entry deadline.
“We’ve made a lot of progress, coming off a great long course season,” UK head coach Lars Jorgensen said of this summer’s USA Swimming events. “We definitely hope to have several more Wildcats qualify for the Olympic Trials in the next year and a half, which would turn in to a good showing for UK in Omaha.”
The 11 UK swimmers – Bridgette Alexander, Drew Aviotti, Christina Bechtel, Kendal Casey, Kendra Crew, Scott Crosthwaite, Brandon Flynn, Danielle Galyer, George Greenhalgh, Kyle Higgins and Abby Myers – achieved their qualifying time at the USA Swimming 2014 National Championships, Aug. 6-10, in Irvine, Calif.
The 2014 National Championships, and all international events, are competed in long-course meters. NCAA events, which include all of UK’s meets, are in short-course yards.
At the 2014 National Championships, Bechtel earned a spot on the 2014-2015 USA Swimming National Team, while Galyer was named to the 2014-15 USA Swimming Junior National Team.
“I think we have a couple people who have a chance to make the finals at Olympic Trials,” Jorgensen said. “If you final at the Olympic Trials, you have a great opportunity to make the team, and that’s all you ask for when you are trying to make the Olympic Games.”
At the 2012 Olympic Trials, 10 UK swimmers earned qualifying times and competed at the event.
The 2014 UK swimming and diving season, which features five home meets, begins Oct. 10 in Lexington against South Carolina. The Wildcats host defending SEC Champion Florida on Oct. 16 and Missouri, Northwestern and SIU on Nov. 7 and 8. The home slate concludes against in-state rival Louisville on Jan. 24.
For complete news and updates on the Kentucky Swimming and Diving program, go to UKathletics.com/SwimmingDiving. Breaking news, behind-the-scenes updates, photos and more can be found on Twitter at @UKSwimDive and Facebook at Facebook.com/UKSwimDive.
