Vanderkaay Third in 200 at Trials to Earn Trip to Athens
7/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Olympics
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- University of Michigan sophomore Peter Vanderkaay (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS) qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics today (Friday, July 9) with a third-place finish in the 200-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Vanderkaay clocked in at 1:48.52 behind event-winner Michael Phelps, who set a meet record (1:46.27), and Club Wolverine member Klete Keller (1:46.87). U-M senior Dan Ketchum (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS) just missed an automatic berth on the team, finishing just 0.02 seconds out of fourth place to claim fifth in the event. Ketchum may be added to the team later, pending the results of the remaining races.
Vanderkaay and Ketchum, in lanes two and one, respectively, were fifth and eighth heading into the final 50 meters of the race. Vanderkaay, however, was able to make up two spots over the final length of the race to earn the Olympic berth, and Ketchum logged the third fastest split in the final 50 meters (27.52) to jump to fifth.
For Keller, this is the second event in which he has qualified at the 2004 Olympic Trials. He won the 400-meter freestyle on Thursday (July 8) with a time of 1:48.15.
Vanderkaay is the second current Wolverine to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games. Andrew Hurd (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalger HS) set a Canadian record with a time of 3:49.67 in the 400-meter freestyle on Tuesday (July 6) at the Canadian Olympic Trials in Etobicoke, Ontario.
In other action Friday at the U.S. Trials, Davis Tarwater (Knoxville, Tenn./Webb School) finished fourth in both the preliminary and semifinal rounds of the 200-meter butterfly and gained a spot in Saturday's finals. Tarwater posted a time of 1:58.08 in the semifinals. World record holder Michael Phelps of North Baltimore Aquatic Club, who is coached by new U-M head coach Bob Bowman, posted the fastest semifinal time (1:56.66), while former Wolverine Tom Malchow, the 2000 Olympic gold medalist in the event, finished second (1:57.52).
The U.S. national team will be selected based on the results of the Olympic Trials. First priority will be given to the top four finishers in the 100- and 200-meter freestyle events and the top finisher in all other events. Second priority goes to the second fastest swimmer in every event except for the 100- and 200-meter freestyle. Third and fourth priority go to the fifth and sixth fastest athletes, respectively, in the 100- and 200-meter freestyle. A maximum of 26 swimmers will be chosen to be a part of the national team.
Players Mentioned
