BYU swimmers compete at National Championships

PROVO, Utah–Two BYU swimmers met qualifying times for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials while competing at the Phillips 66 National Championships from Aug.6-10 in San Antonio, Texas.

“Competing at the National Championships this year was amazing,” BYU head swim coach John Brooks said. “This was one of the best National Championships for the team that I've attended since I've been at BYU. It was very exciting for everyone involved. We got some of the cuts we were looking for, and it was just a great experience.”

To make the qualifying cut for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, a swimmer must meet the qualifying time in his or her event during the qualifying period. BYU senior Jake Taylor made the qualifying cut in the 200-meter backstroke, swimming a 2:00.74 and earning an 18th place finish. Recent graduate Hayden Palmer also made the qualifying cut in the 400 individual medley.

Taylor also swam in the 100 backstroke, the 100 freestyle and the 200 IM, posting a lifetime best in the 100 backstroke time trials. A First Team All-American, Taylor has now met the U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time for two separate events, in the 100 and the 200 backstroke.

Stephen Richards, who earned All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation First Team honors last season, also traveled to compete at the National Championships. Richards did not meet the qualifying times for the Olympic Trials in his events, but swam lifetime bests in the time trials for both the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM. Richards also swam a lifetime best in the 200 breaststroke event, posting a 2:21.44 finish.

Taylor and Richards will both return to BYU this fall as seniors, and will look to help the team win a third-straight MPSF championship.