Steve Jones|@stevejones_cj
Kelsi Worrell is headed to Rio.
The University of Louisville swimmereasily won the 100-meter butterfly Monday night at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb., becoming the Cardinals' first Americanswimmer ever to qualify for the Olympics.
Worrell finished in a time of 56.48 seconds,defeating2012 Olympic gold medalist and American record holder Dana Vollmer (57.21).Worrell's time wasthe second-fastest in the world this year and one that heightens her stature as a medal contender for the Gamesin Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Under her swim goggles, Worrellappeared to be overcome with emotion after touching the wall in first place. When she got out of the pool, Worrell, the oldest of six siblings from Westampton, N.J., cried as she hugged her sister,who swims for South Carolina, and her parents.
"It's a dream come true," Kelsi Worrell said in an interview on NBC."I'm in shock for sure. I don't even know what to say."
In addition to her individual race,Worrell also will be a member of the U.S. medley relay team in Rio, providing another chance at a medal.
A day after swimming a career-best 56.84 in the 100 fly prelims, Worrell, 21, torched the mark and dropped nearly another four-tenths. Vollmer, whoalso qualified for anotherOlympics as the runner-up,led Worrell at the 50-meter mark, but Worrellswam the final 50 in 29.97,nearly a second faster than Vollmer. Former Western Kentucky swimmer Claire Donahuefinished sixth.
“I'm most pleased -after (coach Arthur Albiero) told me my splits - thatI finally got under the 30-second mark bringing it home," Worrell said, "and that's what we've been training for all year. So I'm most pleased that I finished well and executed the race the way I hoped.”
Worrell, a four-time NCAA individual champion and the American record holder in the shorter100-yard fly,will be just the thirdathlete from U of L ever to be named a U.S. Olympian, following women's basketball player Angel McCoughtry and men's basketball player Rodney McCray, who didn't get to compete in the 1980 Moscow Games because of a United States boycott.
Albiero said in a phone interview that Worrell flawlessly made some adjustments that they'd discussed after reviewing video of the semifinal. He said it was a thrill for him and U of L's contingent of more than 30swimmers to watch Worrellfrom the stands.
"We came here to perform, and we had a mission," he said. "… When I realized with about three strokes to go where she was charging that she was going to win it... then it was kind of crazy. I don’t even know what happened. Our entire group was screaming and jumping and hugs all around. It was just one of those surreal moments that you watch on TV, that you watch other people go through. To go through that yourself is very, very, very special."
Worrell passed China's XinyiChen (56.82) for ownership of the second-best time in the world this year and now trails only Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom (55.68), who will be the favorite in Rio.Sjostromalso has the world record of 55.64. The race Monday made Worrell the fifth-fastest female ever in the 100 fly.Vollmer's American record is 55.98, set when she won gold in London.
"I think anybody that comes out of (Omaha) and has a spot on Team USA is a legitimate contender for a medal," Albiero said, noting that the depth of talent at the U.S. Trials may exceedthat of the Olympics. "It’s as simple as that. To get through the trials, it’s legit that you have an opportunity to go to Rio and try to earn some hardware."
Worrell still has plenty of swimming to do in the Trials. She is also attempting to qualify for Rio in the 200 fly, 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Worrell is ranked No. 3 in the United States in the 200 fly, No. 5 in the 50 freeand No. 7 in the 100 free. For the 100 free, because of relays,the top six will make the Olympics.
U of LjuniorAndee Cottrell had another big performance for the Cardinals Monday night, posting the sixth-best time overall in the 100-meter breaststroke and qualifyingfor Tuesday night'seight-woman final. Worrell's 100 flyisthe only other time a U of L swimmer hasmade a U.S. Trials final.Cottrell finished in 1 minute, 7.44 seconds in the semifinals.
Cottrell, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, posted a personal best of 1:07.21 earlier in the dayin the preliminaries.
She'll have to finish in the top two on Tuesday to earn a trip to Rio.
“It’s awesome," Cottrell said. "I feel like this is a completely different ballgame now, so it’s really exciting. I’m just focused on being relaxed and having fun with it. I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Albiero said Cottrell has shaved about seven seconds off her 100 breast time from when she first competed and finished way back in the packat U.S. Trials four years go.
Now "sheis going to the U.S. Olympic trial final,putting her as an elite, elite breaststroker in the country," the coach said. "And ultimately if you’re elite in the U.S., you’re elite in the world."
Correction: This article has been updated to include McCray as a U.S. Olympian from U of L. The school and the USA Basketball recognize him as such.
