Missy Franklin falters as newcomers dominate U.S. Olympic swimming trials
Missy Franklin seems to be everywhere at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.
The video boards at CenturyLink Center play clips of the four-time Olympic gold medalist reading a heartfelt letter to her parents and promoting swim lessons. Children wear blue T-shirts with Franklin’s name on the back. Her picture, complete with the ever-present grin that helped make her the darling of the London Olympics, adorns arena doors.
The gregarious 21-year-old entered the meet as one of the main attractions, but Tuesday she became one more example of the rapidly changing face of U.S. swimming.
Franklin faded to a surprising seventh-place finish in the 100-meter backstroke, where she is the defending Olympic champion, on a wild night when big names faltered and Olympic first-timers won each of the four finals.
“You know, I think I am feeling more pressure than I ever have before,” Franklin said. “But that’s all part of the process of learning how to deal with it and learning how to move forward.”
Instead, Olivia Smoliga, 21, pulled away to win in 59.02 seconds. It’s the third-fastest time in U.S. history. Franklin and 12-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin, who finished eighth, own the top two all-time U.S. marks in the event.
Kathleen Baker, a 19-year-old who placed 14th in the 100 backstroke at the 2012 Olympic trials, finished second.
The victory over the star-studded field left Smoliga in disbelief.
“I think there is a huge … new wave,” she said. “Not out with the old, because that’s a bad saying, but it’s an in-with-the-new type deal.”
The new wave washed over the men’s 100 backstroke, too. In one of the most anticipated finals of the eight-day trials, defending Olympic gold medalist Matt Grevers faced Ryan Murphy and David Plummer in a three-way showdown.
But Grevers faded, too, and the race came down to a nail-biting finish between Murphy and Plummer. The finish appeared virtually even to the naked eye. But Murphy used every inch of his 6-foot-3 frame to out-touch Plummer at the wall — 52.26 seconds to 52.28 seconds.
Murphy and Plummer were about a third of a second off the world record Aaron Peirsol set in 2009, a mark that could be in jeopardy at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Murphy didn’t hesitate to talk about the potential of the duo finishing 1-2 in August — and going faster.
Enthusiasm, and surprise, radiated through each word from the 20-year-old Murphy.
“Both of these guys are either with kids or have kids on the way and I don’t even have a girlfriend, so they’re definitely a lot more mature than me,” he said. “But sometimes in these things youth wins out. That was the case tonight. I’ve got to keep working my butt off to try to make that a habit more than a coincidence.”
Grevers couldn’t pinpoint what went wrong. The 31-year-old felt like he did everything possible to prepare himself, that he put everything he had into the race.
“I think I’m a little stunned,” Grevers said. “After I let it sink in I think I’ll be more distraught than I am. … [But] it’s cool seeing the younger faces stepping up and performing well.”
Another youngster, Townley Haas, captured the 200 freestyle. Competing in his first Olympic trials, the 19-year-old said he had prerace nerves. Those weren’t evident, however, as Haas used a late surge to edge Conor Dwyer, 1:45.66 to 1:45.67.
“I never thought I would be here,” Haas said.
Ryan Lochte, in the midst of a difficult meet because of a painful groin injury, placed fourth. That’s good enough to earn a spot on the 800-meter freestyle relay team. The 11-time Olympic medalist plans to swim three or more events despite the pain in hopes of qualifying in an individual race after also falling short in the 400 individual medley this week.
The youth movement continued in the women’s 100 breaststroke. Lily King, a 19-year-old at the Olympic trials for the first time, won easily in 1:05.20.
Meanwhile, opportunities to qualify for the Olympics are dwindling for veterans like Franklin.
Exiled to an outside lane after narrowly qualifying for the 100 backstroke final, she finished in 1:00.24, well off her personal best. The swim came less than half an hour after making the 200 freestyle final.
Franklin, who has struggled in recent months, still has the 200 backstroke, a signature event where she set the world record during the London Olympics, in addition to the 100 and 200 freestyles.
She flashed a polite smile after the race, but the strain of a meet that hasn’t unfolded as expected was obvious.
“Right now,” Franklin said, “I need to make the team in whatever way that looks like. I need to make the team and I’m going to do my best.”
Twitter: @nathanfenno
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