clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Cal Bears at USA Swimming Olympic Trail Day 5 Recap and Day 6 Preview

Josh Prenot, Nathan Adrian, and Anthony Ervin have punched their tickets to Rio on Thursday night. How many more Golden Bears can join them today?

By Ruey Yen
Jacob Pebley (looking to qualify) and Ryan Murphy (already going to Rio thanks to his 100 Back win) are the top two seeds going into the 200 Back final tonight.
Jacob Pebley (looking to qualify) and Ryan Murphy (already going to Rio thanks to his 100 Back win) are the top two seeds going into the 200 Back final tonight.
Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Day 5 (Thursday) Finals Recap (Semi recap are in previews for today's finals below):

Three more brand new Golden Bears are going to Rio after Thursday night. We even got a brand new American Record!

Josh Prenot and Nathan Adrian won the men's 200 Breast and 100 Free, respectively. Anthony Ervin finished 4th in 100 Free to make the relay team. It would be the first Olympic for Prenot while the 3rd Olympic for both Adrian and Ervin.

Men's 200m Breast - Final

Recent Cal graduate, Josh Prenot had just missed out on becoming an Olympian in the 400 IM earlier this week by placing 3rd. Prenot (and Cal men's swimming head coach Dave Durden) decided to put all his eggs in one basket by having him scratch 200 IM prelim on Thursday morning to concentrate on just the 200 Breast.

Boy, did that decision pay off. Not only did Prenot won the race, he also set a new American Record in the process.

With a time of 2.07:17, the 2nd fastest 200 Breast ever, Josh Prenot has become an Olympian for the first time. Congrats to the physics major from this Cal physics alum.

Kevin Cordes just edges Will Licon (Josh Prenot's main rival from Texas at the NCAA championships this year in 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 Breast) to take the other spot. Prenot is going to Rio will Licon has to wait 4 more years.

Race Results:

  1. Josh Prenot (2:07.17) AM
  2. Kevin Cordes (2:08.00)
  3. Will Licon (2:08.14)
  4. Andrew Wilson (2:09.35)
  5. Cody Miller (2:10.22)
  6. BJ johnson (2:10.70)
  7. Nic Fink (2:11.55)
  8. Brendan McHugh (2:14.88)

Women's 200m Fly - Final

Cal sophomore (which means that you can watch her race for Cal in the upcoming years in Berkeley) Katie McLaughlin is the lone Cal representative at the 200 Fly final. The youngster was only able to finish in 6th place though.

McLaughlin, who had missed Pac-12 and NCAA championships due to a neck injury, has also made the 200 Free final earlier on the week. She may not be going to Rio in 2016, but her future is bright.

Race Result:

  1. Cammile Adams (2:06.80)
  2. Hali Flickinger (2:07.50)
  3. Cassidy Bayer (2:08.68)
  4. Ruby Martin (2:09.96)
  5. Christina Betchel (2:10.54)
  6. Katie McLaughlin (2:10.87)
  7. Kelsi Worrell (2:11.85)
  8. Hannah Saiz (2:11.88)

Men's 100m Free - Final

Nathan Adrian will get to defend his 100 Free Gold from London after posting another sub 48 seconds swim to win this event.

The win ensures that we will see plenty more of Nathan in the upcoming NBC Olympic promos.

Fellow Cal alum Anthony Ervin actually had the strongest first 50, but was only able to hold on for 4th place. Good enough to clinch a spot in the relay.

Congrats to both Nathan and Tony for both becoming Calympians for the 3rd time.

The third Golden Bear in this final, William Copeland, finished in 7th place to just missed out on going to Rio. Even though the 5th and 6th place finisher are not guaranteed a spot on the team, they almost always make it.

Race Result:

  1. Nathan Adrian (47.72)
  2. Caeleb Dressel (48.23)
  3. Ryan Held (48.26)
  4. Anthony Ervin (48.54)
  5. Jimmy Feigen (48.57)
  6. Blake Pieroni (48.78)
  7. William Copeland (49.12)
  8. Conor Dwyer (49.13)

Day 6 Events:

Men's 50m Free - Semifinal
Women's 200m Breast - Final
Men's 200m Back - Final
Women's 200m Back - Semifinal
Men's 200m IM - Final
Women's 100m Free - Final
Men's 100m Fly - Semifinal

For all of today's finals with the exception of Women's 100 Free, only the top 2 swimmers will make the U.S. Olympic team. The top 6 swimmers in Women's 100 Free will make the Rio games (although only the top 4 has immediately qualified).

Link to Day Six Heat Sheet (please let me know in the comments if there are other Cal swimmers that I missed)

Viewing Info:

Prelims: 8 AM PT (LIVE on NBC Sports App/Live Stream)

Prelims tape delayed on TV: 3:30 PM PT on NBC Sports Network

Finals: 5 PM PT on NBC

Results: USA Swimming site has links to the corresponding Omega time sheets

CGB overall preview of the 2016 USA Swim Olympic Trials (6/26 - 7/3)

*****

Women's 800 Free (Prelim in the day session, Final is on Saturday night)

Katie Ledecky is the clear favorite in this event, but former Cal Bears Cierra Runge (who likely already made the Olympic team by her 5th place finish in 200 Free) is also in the mix.

Runge's transfer to Wisconsin is a tough pill for Cal because our squad otherwise lacks distance swimmer. I don't think any other swimmer in the field has ties to Cal.

Men's 50m Free - Semifinal

Nathan Adrian leads the field of men who will sprint in the 50 Free event. Anthony Ervin, William Copeland, and Seth Stubblefield are also good bets to make the semfiinal of this event tonight.

Women's 200m Breast - Final

Another rare event with no Golden Bears in the semifinal nor final. This might be the place to mention that one of the main breaststroker on the Cal squad recently, Marina Garcia may be representing Spain again in this event in Rio.

Men's 200m Back - Final

Golden Bears Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley are the top two seeds going into the final tonight. Murphy, already a 2016 Calympian for his 100 Back win, has dominated 100 and 200 Back in all 3 years that he's swam for the Bears at the NCAA championships thus far. Murphy's teammate Pebley, who just graduated in 2016, is looking to book his spot on the U.S. delegation to Rio.

It looked like that both of them cruised to the top two times in the semifinal. This bodes well for them to finish 1 and 2 in the final tonight.

Semifinal Top 8:

  1. Ryan Murphy (1:55.04)
  2. Jacob Pebley (1:55.18)
  3. Tyler Clary (1:55.92)
  4. Sean Lehane (1:56.43)
  5. Michael Taylor (1:56.78)
  6. Austin Katz (1:57.72)
  7. Robert Owen (1:57.79)
  8. Hennessey Stuart (1:58.20)

Women's 200m Back - Semifinal

Missy Franklin may have already booked a spot on the Olympic team in the 200 Free, but her best event is the 200 Back. Franklin, who owns the world record in this event from 2012, is looking to recapture some of that London magic.

Since it is backstroke, plenty of other Bears are also in the mix. Melanie Klaren, Elizabeth Pelton, and Amy Bilquist are all threats to make the semifinal tonight and beyond.

Men's 200m IM - Final

Despite a top 8 seed time going into the prelim, Josh Prenot scratched this event. Nevertheless, Cal sophomore Andrew Seliskar has made the final to represent the Bears against Olympics vet in Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.

Seliskar was the crown of the 2015 recruiting class and his freshman year did not disappoint. Nevertheless, it looks like Seliskar would have to wait to become a Calympian unless he can surprise everyone and upset one of Phelps or Lochte.

Semifinal Top 8:

  1. Ryan Lochte (1:56.71)
  2. Michael Phelps (1:57.61)
  3. David Nolan (1:58.16)
  4. Gunnar Bentz (1:59.38)
  5. Abrahm Devine (1:59.43)
  6. Michael Andrew (1:59.44)
  7. Jay Litherland (1:59.53)
  8. Andrew Seliskar (1:59.86)

Women's 100m Free - Final

First of all, Natalie Coughlin's bid for a 4th Olympic took a hit when she didn't qualify for the final of Women's 100 Free. Natalie still got one more shot with the 50 Free on the last day on the Trial on Sunday.

Incoming Golden Bear Abbey Weitzeil lead the way in both the prelim and the semifinals. Cal alum Dana Vollmer, already going to Rio thanks to her 2nd place 100 Fly finish, is also in the mix with the 4th seed.

Semifinal Top 8:

  1. Abbey Weitzeil (53.57)
  2. Simone Manuel (53.64)
  3. Amanda Weir (53.72)
  4. Dana Vollmer (53.74)
  5. Lia Neal (53.87)
  6. Kelsi Worrell (54.00)
  7. Katie Ledecky (54.04)
  8. Allison Schmitt (54.07)

Men's 100m Fly - Semifinal

Tom Shields may have already booked a spot on the Olympic team in the 200 Fly, but his best event is the 100 Fly.

Other Golden Bears in this event include Mike Thomas, Justin Lynch, Andrew Seliskar, and Seth Stubblefield.


2016 U.S. Swimming Calympians (and events)

  • Dana Vollmer - 3rd Olympic game (2004, 2012, 2016) 100 Fly
  • Ryan Murphy - 1st Olympic game (2016) 100 Back
  • Kathleen Baker - 1st Olympic game (2016) 100 Back
  • Missy Franklin - 2nd Olympic game (2012, 2016) 200 Free
  • Tom Shields - 1st Olympic game (2016) 200 Fly
  • Josh Prenot - 1st Olympic game (2016) 200 Breast
  • Nathan Adrian - 3rd Olympic game (2008, 2012, 2016) 100 Free
  • Anthony Ervin - 3rd Olympic game (2004, 2012, 2016) 100 Free relay

Best of luck to all of the Golden Bears racing today.

GO BEARS!

More From California Golden Blogs