Carson Foster Powers to 200 IM Title At Longhorn Invite; Shaine Casas Continues Strong Prep for Trials
Carson Foster and Jake Foster, the dynamic brother tandem for the University of Texas, placed first and second in the 200-meter individual medley at the Longhorn Aquatics Elite Invite on Saturday night. The meet served as a final tuneup for next month’s United States Olympic Trials in Omaha, and the Foster siblings are headed to the Tokyo selection meet with momentum.
A contender for Olympic berths in multiple events, Carson Foster won the 200 medley in 1:58.27, with his brother touching the wall in 1:59.71 for second place. The win was the younger Foster’s third of the meet, complementing earlier triumphs in the 400 individual medley and the 200 freestyle. The 400 medley can be argued as Foster’s strongest showing of the weekend, as he posted a pair of 4:11 performances, including a time of 4:11.13 in the final.
Texas A&M’s Shaine Casas, who captured three NCAA titles in March, reaffirmed his status as a leading Olympic Trials contender by winning the 100 backstroke in 53.26. Casas is expected to duel with the likes of Ryan Murphy, Matt Grevers and Justin Ress, among others, in Omaha. A week after Murphy went 52-high, Casas covered his race with splits of 25.70 and 27.56.
In the 200 butterfly, which is among the most wide-open events at the Olympic Trials, Gunnar Bentz registered a victory in 1:57.64, which was a half-second clear of the 1:58.14 by Hector Ruvalcaba Cruz. A 2016 Olympian, Bentz was just behind at the midway point, but overtook Ruvalcaba Cruz over the last two laps. Third place went to Andrew Koustik in 1:59.27.
One day after placing first and second in the 200 breaststroke, Daniel Roy and Will Licon replicated that finish in the 100 breaststroke. Licon was in front at the turn, but Roy came home a half-second faster for a time of 1:00.88, with Licon going 1:01.35.