Jake Taylor in finals at U.S. Olympic Trials

OMAHA, Nebraska (June 27, 2016)--Jake Taylor of BYU swim and dive advanced to the Tuesday night finals in the 100 backstroke at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

The All-American Taylor from Honeyville, Utah joins Ryan Murphy in the eight-man finals along with David Plummer, previous Olympic gold medalist Matthew Grevers, Jacob Pebley, Michael Taylor, Sean Lehane and John Shebat at the CenturyLink Center.

Taylor was one of 16 to advance through the Monday morning prelims, then emerged as one of eight in the evening semifinals with a time of 54.07.  He clocked splits of 25.95 in the first 50 meters, closing with a 28.12 in the final 50 of the second semifinal heat.  His time places him eighth among the eight finalists.

Murphy's time of in the first 50 was under world record pace and he went on to win the first heat semifinal in 52.28.

The Tuesday 100 back finals will be televised live on NBC as the fourth race between the time of 7-8 p.m. MDT. The top two finishers in the 100 back make the 40-man Olympic team. Taylor's teammate Preston Jenkins did not advance out of the Monday morning 100 back prelims, placing 37th in a time of 56.06.

Taylor will also compete in the 200 back along with Jenkins on Thursday morning, hoping to advance to that evening's semifinals.  On Wednesday, Cougar Payton Sorenson competes in the 100 freestyle and joins teammate Connor Stirling on Friday in the prelims of the 50 free.  The top two placers in the freestyle make the Olympic team, plus the next four finishers who comprise the free relays along with two alternates.

Here are the complete results thus far from BYU swimmers competing in the Trials:

June 26
Prelims--400 IM--Hayden Palmer-disqualified (previous qualifying time 4:26.30)
Prelims--100 Fly--119th Ellie Thornbrue--1:02.19 (previous qualifying time 1:01.13)
Prelims--100 Breast--110th Stephen Richards--1:04.46 (previous qualifying time 1:01.31)

June 27
Prelims--100 Back--7th-Jake Taylor, 54.50 (previous qualifying time 54.60)
Prelims--100 Back--37th-Preston Jenkins 56.06 (previous qualifying time 56.53)
Semifinals--100 Back--7th-Jake Taylor, 54.07

June 28
Finals--100 Back--7th tie-Jake Taylor, 54.72

June 29
Prelims--100 Free--48th Payton Sorenson, 50.47 (previous qualifying time 50.22)

June 30
Prelims--200 Back--16th (Jake Taylor, 2:00.31 (previous qualifying time 2:00.74)
Prelims--200 Back--44th Preston Jenkins, 2:02.98 (previous qualifying time 2:02.54)
Semifinals--200 Back--11th Jake Taylor,1:59.83

July 1
Prelims--50 Free--10th Payton Sorenson,22.29 (previous qualifying time 22.83)
Prelims--50 Free--139th Connor Stirling 23.65 (previous qualifying time 23.13)
Semifinals--50 Free13th Payton Sorenson, 22.37