SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Sacramento native is heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games to compete in the Men's 200-meter butterfly.
Luca Urlando was officially named as part of the U.S. Olympic team as the US. Olympic Trials wrapped up Sunday.
Urlando qualified for the team after punching his ticket last 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 wasn't officially listed under the USA Swimming's 2024 Olympic Team until the team was announced because only 26 men and 26 women can make the pool team. The spots are first reserved for those who get first place in each event and the top 4 in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle events due to relays, according to USA Swimming. The second-place finishers are expected to get a spot on the Olympic team as swimmers often qualify for multiple events.
Taking first in the finals 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.
Other California swimmers heading to the Olympics include Erika Connolly from Modesto in the 4x100 freestyle relay and Abbey Weitzeil from Santa Clarita in the 4x100 freestyle relay.
U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials were from June 15-23 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.
Watch more on ABC10 | Folsom native going to the Summer Olympics in Paris