Weitzeil To Defend 100 Free Crown

OMAHA, Neb. – Cal alum Abbey Weitzeil will have a chance to defend her U.S. Olympic Trials 100-meter freestyle title after winning her semifinal heat Thursday night in 53.66 seconds.
 
While she will be the third seed in Friday's final, Weitzeil did post the fastest time of the day after swimming 53.52 in her morning preliminary heat. Back in 2016, Wetizeil set the Trials record with a time of 53.28, and she went on to capture a pair of relay medals at the Olympics in Rio.
 
Alum Katie McLaughlin, who earned her spot on the U.S. team for this summer's Tokyo Olympics on the 4x200 free relay Wednesday, also competed in the 100 free semis and placed 11th in 54.31, her fastest time in more than two years.
 
In the 200 butterfly final, rising junior Rachel Klinker finished eighth in 2:11.09, her second-best time ever and trailing only her PR 2:09.18 from the semifinals.
 
Four Golden Bears are scheduled to race in Friday's morning heats of the 200 backstroke – Kathleen Baker, Amy Bilquist, Ayla Spitz and Isabelle Stadden. Prelims begin at 8 a.m. PT, with finals at 5 p.m. All events are streamed on NBCOlympics.com.