Westrick Qualifies for Olympic Trials
7/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
July 28, 2011
By Drew
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Junior Bekka Westrick (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) finished second in the 100-meter butterfly at the Speedo Championship Sectional meet July 21-24, turning in a time of 1:01.86 to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials that will be held in June 25-July 2, 2012. She also finished second in the 50-meter freestyle, clocking a time of 26.56 and will compete in both events at the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California next week, Aug. 2-6.
"It's a great achievement," Miami coach Dave Jennings said. "It's a real breakthrough for her. She just missed qualifying in the 50 free too. She's such a hard worker, so it's a thrill to see her get that Olympic Trial cut. I think we will see her continue to develop into a very good swimmer over the next two years."
Westrick's classmates Maegan O'Connor (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) and Leah Thornton (Helena, Ala./John Carroll Catholic) also turned in strong swims at sectionals, both nearly swimming trial time standards. O'Connor finished fifth in the 100 fly with a time of 1:02.08, just nine one-hundredths of second off the trial cut of 1:01.99. Thornton was fourth in the 100-meter backstroke, touching in 1:04.29. Her time of 1:04.14 in the prelims was just off the mark of 1:03.99 required to qualify for the Olympic Trials.
Thornton will join Westrick in California for the 2011 National Meet. Thornton will swim both the 100- and 200-meter backstroke events.
"She's been to nationals before," Jennings said. "She knows what to expect and I think she has a good chance at an Olympic Trial cut. A lot of swimmers, when they are swimming at nationals for the first time look around and see Olympians competing and can get intimidated, but Leah should be ready."
The men's swimming team will be represented at nationals as well with senior Brendan Melling (Solon, Ohio/Solon) qualifying in the 400-meter IM and junior Alex Reinhardt (Littleton, Colo./Regis Jesuit) swimming the 800-meter freestyle. Melling finished sixth at the sectional meet with a time of 4:38.56 in the 400 IM and Reinhardt finished 15th in the 800 free in 8:46.76.