Kastes claims top Arkansas finish at Olympic Trials

OMAHA, Neb. – University of Arkansas sophomore swimmer Katie Kastes claimed the best finish of any Razorback in the 200m butterfly on Wednesday at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. The Palm Harbor, Fla., native touched in faster than half of the field with a 43rd-place finish in a time of 2:15.46. Kastes came off the blocks blazing fast with her 50m-split time at just 30.22. She ended 7.74 seconds behind the top finisher, Elaine Breeden (2:07.72), who was more than a second ahead of the rest of the field. For now, only the top four swimmers in the men’s and women’s 100m and 200m freestyle, along with the winners of all the other events, automatically qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team. The second-place finishers in all the other events – plus the fifth and sixth-place finishers in the men’s and women’s 100m and 200m free – may be named to the team later in the week, pending swimmers qualifying in multiple events. Thursday, sophomore Jamie Marks and incoming junior Leah Pierce swim the 200 breaststroke, and on Friday, senior Stephanie Carr and sophomore Ashley Largo compete in the 800 free. For more information about Arkansas swimming and diving, please log on to LADYBACKS.COM.
2008 U.S. Olympic Team Roster (as of 7/1/08)
Men Mark Warkentin, Santa Barbara Swim Club, Open Water 10K Michael Phelps, Club Wolverine, 400m IM, 200m Free Larsen Jensen, Trojan Swim Club, 400m Free Brendan Hansen, Longhorn Aquatic Club, 100m Breast Peter Vanderkaay, Club Wolverine, 200m Free Ricky Berens, Longhorn Aquatics, 4x200m Free Relay Klete Keller, Trojan Swim Club, 4x200m Free Relay Aaron Peirsol, Longhorn Aquatics, 100m Back
Women Chloe Sutton, Mission Viejo Nadadores, Open Water 10K Katie Hoff, North Baltimore Aquatic Club, 400m IM, 400m free Christine Magnuson, University of Tennessee, 100m fly Natalie Coughlin, California Aquatics, 100m back Jessica Hardy, Trojan Swim Club, 100m breast