SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento native Luca Urlando qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in the Men's 200-meter butterfly.
Urlando punched his ticket Wednesday at the U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials in Indianapolis. He swam a time of 1:55.08 in the finals and got second place, according to USA Swimming. The 22-year-old hasn't been officially listed under the USA Swimming's 2024 Olympic Team.
He claimed the expected second spot in Paris. Athletes who finished second in the finals will be considered for a place on Team USA if they have met the Olympic entry standards set out by World Aquatics, according to the Olympics.
Taking first in the finals with a guaranteed Olympic spot was Thomas Heilman with a time of 1:54.50. USA Swimming welcomed the 17-year-old to Team USA with an Instagram post. He is the youngest U.S. men's swimmer to make the U.S. Olympic team since Michael Phelps in 2000 when he was 15 years old, according to Team USA.
Urlando and Heilman hugged across the lane line after the race. The pair will try to be the first Americans to win an Olympic medal in the 200 butterfly since Michael Phelps in the 2016 Rio Olympics, which were his final games.
“Looking up at the board and seeing my name at the top was — it was really special. It's a goal I've had for years now, and to see it up there, it was a little bit of disbelief," Heilman said.
U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials continue through Sunday, June 23 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Usually the home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, the stadium was transformed with a temporary pool in the middle of the field.
Find the full list of the 2024 Olympic swim team HERE.
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