U.S. International Team Trials: Shaine Casas Posts World’s Fastest Time in Men’s 200 Back
Shaine Casas narrowly missed the U.S. Olympic team last year, but ever since that meet in Omaha, Casas has been aiming for redemption, a chance at qualifying for the U.S. World Championships team. Casas will have his chance Wednesday evening after he recorded the fastest time in the world so far in 2021 in the men’s 200 backstroke prelims. Casas swam a lifetime-best mark of 1:55.57, more than a second faster than any other swimmer in the field and more than a second ahead of any other swimmer so far in 2021.
In the final, Casas will face tough competition from 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2021 Olympic silver medalist Ryan Murphy. Murphy cruised the first 150 meters of his prelims swim before turning on the jets down the stretch. He ended up with a third-place mark of 1:57.46. Joining Casas and Murphy in the middle lanes for the final will be Virginia’s Jack Aikins, who qualified second in 1:56.84, and NC State’s Hunter Tapp, who placed fourth in 1:57.60.
The NCAA Champion in the 200-yard backstroke, Cal’s Destin Lasco, finished fifth in prelims in 1:58.02, while Keaton Jones (1:58.30), Sam Stewart (1:58.83) and Josh Zuchowski (1:58.94) also got into the final. Daniel Diehl, a 16-year-old rising star, ended up ninth in 1:59.52, and he will have a chance to qualify for an individual final later in the week when he swims the 100 back.
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