Three Cougars Compete at U.S. Olympic Trials

OMAHA, Neb. (June 21, 2021) – Three Washington State swimmers competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha recently.
 
Seniors Mackenzie Duarte, Chloe Larson and Taylor McCoy each competed for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team the past two weeks.
 
Duarte competed Wave I in the 200 breaststroke and posted a 2.35.12, good for No. 16 in the group and moved her to the Wave I "B" Final where just missed out on advancing to Wave II. The Walnut Creek, Calif. native earned the qualifying time at the U.S. Open in 2019.
 
Larson competed in the 50 freestyle in Wave II and tied for No. 13 with a 25.42 to advance to the semifinal round. The Rapid City, S.D. native posted a 25.35 in the semifinal, the No. 14 time in the country but just short of advancing to the final.
 
Larson qualified in the 50 free after recording a 25.26 split during the 100 freestyle at the long course meters event at the 2021 St. George Sectional Meet in Utah. Larson competed in the 50 free and 100 free at the NCAA Championships this past March and made program history at the 2021 Pac-12 Championships in February, giving Washington State its first Pac-12 individual champion with a win in the 50 freestyle. Larson was the second Cougar swimmer in the last three seasons to earn a trip to the NCAA's, joining fellow teammate Mackenzie Duarte who earned an invite in 2019.
 
McCoy competed in the 200 backstroke and posted a 2:14.00, the second fastest time in the Wave I to advance to the "A" final but missed the Wave II cut. The Pullman, Wash. native recorded the qualifying time in the summer of 2019.
 
 The last Cougar swimmer to compete in the Olympics was Rugile Mileisyte who competed in the 50 free at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing for Lithuania.