Each day during the pre-scheduled days of the 2020 US Olympic Trials, Swimming World will take its readers back four years to the 2016 Trials in Omaha to recap each event, and will offer some insight into what the events will look like in 2021.
The 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials represented a changing of the guard in the breaststroke events.
Those events had been dominated by Brendan Hansen and Eric Shanteau for several years, with some upsets and interesting situations unfolding along the way.
In 2012, Hansen and Shanteau claimed spots in the 100 breaststroke while Clark Burckle and Scott Weltz provided two of the biggest upsets of the Trials by taking the top spots in the 200 breast. The 2016 Trials were much different. No Hansen. No Shanteau. No Burckle. No Weltz. The breaststroke events were all of a sudden wide open. But who was ready to takes those spots?
Coming into the Trials, Cody Miller had established himself as the favorite, earning the top seed in the event — by just one hundredth of a second over Nic Fink. Miller came in at 59.51, while Fink was at 59.52.
Two other swimmers entered the trials under a minute, which on paper, made it a four-man race at the 2016 Trials. Andrew Wilson was at 59.65 and Kevin Cordes came in at 59.70. It looked as though the Olympic spots would run through that quartet. Of course, that meant two would make it and two would not.
The Race
The race started and all eyes were on Kevin Cordes. He was out under American record pace to take the lead. The only question was — could he hang on?
Michael Andrew; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Cordes hung on for the victory, even if it wasn’t at record pace. Cordes won in 59.18 and only one other swimmer was even in the same ballpark. It was nearly a half-second drop from his best time heading into the Trials.
Miller hung as close as he could and finished in 59.26 to earn the second Olympic spot at the 2016 Trials.
Josh Prenot, surged to third in 59.81, while Michael Andrew once again lowered his National Age Group record and World Junior record with a fourth place finish of 59.82, to finish ahead of Wilson (59.97).
Results
- Kevin Cordes, 59.18
2. Cody Miller, 59.26
3. Josh Prenot, 59.81
4. Michael Andrew, 59.82
5. Andrew Wilson, 59.97
6. Marcus Titus, 1:00.38
7. Nic Fink, 1:00.39
8. Will Licon, 1:00.61
On to Rio
After qualifying at the 2016 Trials, it is hard to forget Cody Miller’s outburst of emotion when he won the bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke in Rio. Miller dropped even more time and touched the wall in 58.87 to take the bronze medal behind Great Britain’s Adam Peaty (57.13) and South Africa’s Cameron Van der Burgh (58.69).
Cordes finished just behind Miller in fourth place, just a couple hundredths off of his Trials time, this time touching in 59.22 to hold off Brazil’s Joao Gomes (59.31).
Cody Miller; Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher, USA TODAY Sports
2016 Trials Throwback:
Day 1:
Day 2: