Wong headed to Olympic swimming trials

FULLERTON — Corona del Mar High junior Brynne Wong made her U.S. Olympic swim trials cut in the 100-meter butterfly in an age-group meet Saturday hosted by Fullerton Aquatics Swim Team.

Wong finished first in the race in a lifetime-best long-course time of 1:01.79. The standard to meet was a 1:01.99.

“I was so happy,” Wong, who swims club for the Irvine-based AquaZots, said of her race Saturday during a phone interview. “It was the best feeling ever.”

Wong, who holds the CdM girls’ 100-yard butterfly record of 54.38 seconds, can now prepare for the Olympic trials. They are in Omaha, Neb. from June 25-July 2. The women’s 100 fly heat is scheduled for June 25, the first day of competition.

Wong originally thought her last chance to make the Olympic trials was at last weekend’s Speedo Grand Challenge, where she just missed by swimming a 1:02.14 in preliminaries at Woollett Aquatics Center. But she made the most of her second chance.

“I tried not to let myself freak out about it,” said Wong, 16. “I thought, ‘Whatever happens, happens’ ... I was pleasantly surprised when I saw my time.”

The top two finishers in each event at Olympic trials make the team for the London Olympics.

— Matt Szabo