Swimming trials: Andrew wins 200 IM to claim a second victory

Make way for one of the newest stars in U.S. swimming. Michael Andrew won the 200 individual medley Friday night for his second victory of the week in the Olympic Trials.

With the outcome, it means that Andrew will swim both the 100 breaststroke and the 200 IM in the Tokyo Olympic Games. Chase Kalisz finished second and likely earned his second invitation to compete in an individual event in Japan.

Kieran Smith was third, with 19-year-old University of Texas star Carson Foster fourth and Sam Stewart fifth.

On the sixth night of the Trials at Omaha, Nebraska, the 200 IM was also significant in that it may have been the swan song for one of the greatest swimmers in U.S. history — Ryan Lochte.

Lochte, bidding to make his fifth Olympic team, finished seventh.

Two from Texas A&M fall short

Former Texas A&M standout Bethany Galat finished fourth in the 200 breaststroke and Shaine Casas, a rising A&M senior, came in sixth in the 200 backstroke Friday night.

Annie Lazor won the 200 breast in 2:21.07, followed by 2016 Olympic champion Lilly King in 2:21.75. The victory will send Lazor to the Olympics for the first time while King, who won both the 100 and 200 at Rio, will be swimming both events in Japan, as well. The top two spots were up for grabs until the final 20 meters when Lazor and King held off both Emily Escobedo, who was third in 2:22.64, and Galat, who was next in 2:22.81.

In the second of four event finals of the evening, Ryan Murphy won his second title of the week in the 200 backstroke after claiming the 100 back on Tuesday. He swam 1:54.20, allowing former UT star Aaron Peirsol to hang on to his world and American record (1:51.92) and also his U.S. record (1:53.08). Bryce Mefford claimed second at 1:54.79 and likely secured the second U.S. team berth from the event. Swimming in lane eight, Casas finished sixth in 1:57.64, his best of three races in the event in the past two days.

Friday’s finals
Women’s 200 breaststroke — Annie Lazor, 2:21.07; Lilly King, 2:21.75.
Men’s 200 backstroke — Ryan Murphy, 1:54.20; Bryce Mefford, 1:54.79.
Men’s 200 individual medley — Michael Andrew, 1:55.44; Chase Kalisz, 1:56.97.
Women’s 100 freestyle — Abbey Weitziel, 53.53; Erika Brown, 53.59; Olivia Smoliga, 53.63; Natalie Hinds, 53.84; Catie DeLoof, 53.87; Allison Schmitt, 54.12.

Thursday
Men’s 800 freestyle — Bobby Finke, 7:48.22; Michael Brinegar, 7:49.94.
Men’s 200 breaststroke — Nic Fink, 2:07.55; Andrew Wilson, 2:08.32.
Women’s 200 butterfly — Hali Flickinger, 2:05.85; Regan Smith, 2:06.99.
Men’s 100 freestyle — Caeleb Dressel, 47.39; Zach Apple, 47.72; Blake Pieroni, 48.16, Brooks Curry, 48.19; Bowe Becker, 48.22; Ryan Held, 48.46.

Wednesday
Women’s 200 freestyle — Katie Ledecky, 1:55.11; Allison Schmitt, 1:56.79; Paige Madden, 1:56.80; Katie McLaughlin, 1:57.16; Bella Sims, 1:57.53; Brooke Forde, 1:57.61
Men’s 200 butterfly — Zach Harting, 1:55.06; Gunnar Bentz, 1:55.34.
Women’s 200 IM — Alex Walsh, 2:09.30; Kate Douglass, 2:09.32
Women’s 1,500 freestyle — Katie Ledecky, 15:40.50; Erica Sullivan, 15:51.18

Tuesday
Men’s 200 freestyle — Kieran Smith, 1:45.29; Townley Haas, 1:45.66; Jay Kibler, 1:45.92; Andrew Seliskar, 1:46.34; Zach Apple, 1:46.45; Patrick Callan, 1:46.49
Women’s 100 backstroke — Regan Smith, 58.35; Rhyan White, 58.60
Men’s 100 backstroke — Ryan Murphy, 52.33; Hunter Armstrong, 52.48
Women’s 100 breaststroke — Lilly King, 1:04.79; Lydia Jacoby, 1:05.28

Monday
Women’s 100 butterfly — Torrie Huske, 55.66; Claire Curzan, 56.43
Men’s 100 breaststroke — Michael Andrew, 58.73; Andrew Wilson, 58.74
Women’s 400 freestyle — Katie Ledecky, 4:01.27; Paige Madden, 4:04.86

Sunday
Men’s 400 IM — Chase Kalisz, 4:09.09; Jay Litherland, 4:10.33.
Men’s 400 freestyle — Kieran Smith, 3:44.86; Jake Mitchell, 3:48.17
Women’s 400 IM — Emma Weyant, 4:33.81; Hali Flickinger, 4:33.96