Olympic Trials: Erika Connolly Edges Catie DeLoof in 100 Free Swim-Off for Possible Relay Spot

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Olympic Trials: Erika Connolly Edges Catie DeLoof in 100 Free Swim-Off for Possible Relay Spot

Swim-offs are rare and exciting, but a swim-off for a possible Olympic spot is unheard of.

But when Erika (Brown) Connolly and Catie DeLoof tied for sixth in the women’s 100 freestyle, the second alternate for the 400 free relay was a tie.

Assuming there are enough women who double up on events on the team (a highly likely scenario), the second alternate should be headed to Paris. Abbey Weitzeil was the first alternate along with the four automatic qualifiers, Kate Douglass, Torri Huske, Gretchen Walsh and Simone Manuel.

In 2021 it took until the final day to determine that for the relays and one of the sixth-place men (Ryan Held) did not get selected for the team because of roster size limits.

DeLoof was slightly ahead at the turn, but Connolly used a burst of speed in the final five meters to edge DeLoof.

Connolly touched the wall in 53.76, just four hundredths of a second ahead of DeLoof (53.80).

“This is a bit overwhelming,” Connolly said. “This past year-and-a-half has been an uphill battle for me. I injured my back last January, had to go through that process of healing. Coming into this meet, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I knew it was within me.

“I just had to trust that the lord had a plan. He provided throughout the whole experience. I feel like these swim-offs have been a blessing because it’s been another opportunity for me to prove to myself that I can go fast.”

Connolly will have to wait until rosters fill up to see if she will be selected for the team, but indications are that she will get the requisite number of doubles to take her spot on the Paris team.

She definitely earned it, having to do a swim-off just to get into the final, then another swim-off for the possible relay spot – five 100s in all at the Olympic Trials.

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