U.S. Olympic Trials: Luca Urlando Sets World No. 6 Time in 200 Fly Semis
Injuries have long made one wonder just what Luca Urlando could be. Such a promising junior swimmer, the Georgia Bulldog so rarely got an extended period of training and competition without significant injuries to develop into the senior swimmer his youthful talent suggested.
Now, finally, that time might be here. And the avenue to Paris if he does that is open wide.
Urlando finished first in semifinals of the 200 butterfly on Tuesday night at U.S. Olympic Trials.
Urlando went 1:54.64 to win the first heat. That’s the sixth-fastest time and fourth-fastest performer in the world in 2024. It is a realization of the potential seen in the California native after winning five World Junior titles in 2019.
Getting to Paris won’t be easy, though. Thomas Heilman, a prodigy of a generation later, is slotted into the second spot in 1:54.93, the seventh-fastest time in the world this year. And Mason Laur and Dare Rose will provide veteran company.
Urlando controlled the first heat, ultimately winning by more than a second over Colby Mefford, who finished sixth overall.
Thes second heat was the more engrossing. Heilman took it out and held on late. He had Jack Dahlgren for company, but by the turn for home, those two and the chasing Laur and Rose had separated from the pack. They were clustered within three-quarters of a second, Laur second in 1:55.05 and Rose in 1:55.25.
Zach Harting finished seventh in 1:56.62. Harting is vying for his second Olympics. He was joined in Tokyo by Gunnar Bentz, who finished seventh in his final meet. Harting finished 11th and didn’t make it out of semifinals.
