Olympic Trials: Torri Huske Uses Slow-Paced Year to Reach Paris With Fast-Pace Butterfly

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

When Torri Huske made her first Olympic team, everything was a blur.

Preparing for a shot at her second Olympic team saw a methodical approach to the sport – and it worked as Huske made the team in the 100 butterfly, with more races to go.

“I think that last trials helped a lot, and my last Olympics will really help me going into this one. When I first made it, my goal was just to make the team. But it didn’t feel real. Now I can focus on the future and my other goals,” Huske said.

It started with moving away from the blur and taking an Olympic redshirt year away from the pressures of college at Stanford.

“I think before I even came into this meet, I was happy that I took this year off. It was very relaxing and I lived life at a slower pace. Knowing that was very helpful,” Torri Huske said. “I would read, do art, take naps. I was able to recover way better. You don’t realize how much school takes out of you, late nights, homework.”

Huske could just focus on her swimming and her recovery.

She went a 55.52 to finish second to Gretchen Walsh, who set the world record at 55.18 during semifinals.

Now, she has the 100 freestyle, 200 IM and 50 freestyle remaining.

“It was definitely a really fast race. That event is getting more and more competitive,” Torri Huske said. “I am very excited to make the team. Now I have that pressure off me and I can focus on my races in my other events.”

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