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June 26, 2012

SWIMMING: Hesen advances at U.S. Olympic Trials

Jeff grad swims in 100 back finals today; Martin, Blankenbeker to swim in prelims

By MATT KOESTERS matt.koesters@newsandtribune.com

OMAHA, Neb. — Jeffersonville graduate and former state champion Ben Hesen’s Olympic dreams are still alive.

Hesen placed fourth in the 100-meter backstroke semifinals at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Tuesday in a time of 53.52 seconds.

“The guy that finished ninth tonight, there is no way he can make the team tomorrow,” said Jeffersonville High School swimming coach Keith Gast, who coached Hesen at Jeff High. “But the eight guys that finished in the top eight, every one of them goes to bed tonight knowing that tomorrow there’s going to be a race, and the first two guys to touch the wall make the team. So if you’ve got a lane, you’ve got a chance.”

The top eight competitors in the semifinals advanced to today’s final heat, and the top two swimmers to come out of the trials will compete on the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2012 Summer Games in London in July. Tonight’s races will start at 7:45 EDT.

Hesen was just .42 seconds off of the top time in the semifinals, set by Matt Grevers with a time of 53.10. David Plummer was second with a time of 53.24, while Nick Thoman placed third in 53.40.

“Everybody knew those four would be there,” Gast said.

Also competing today will be Jeffersonville graduates Zach Blankenbeker and Ariel Martin. Martin will swim in the preliminaries of the women’s 200 freestyle, while Blankenbeker will compete in the men’s 200 butterfly prelims.

Gast said the fact that the younger swimmers’ events start later in the week could be a boon for getting used to the big-meet feel of the trials.

“Zach got into town (Tuesday). Ariel got in (Monday),” Gast said. “For both of them — we’ve got a big pool at the natatorium in Indianapolis (at IUPUI), but this is a freaking basketball stadium. You walk in and there’s lights and the crowd everything else that’s going on. It’s definitely overwhelming. It’s overwhelming for me as a coach standing there on deck. I can’t imagine what it’s like for these guys.”

Jeffersonville native and Indiana University student Andrew Taylor failed to qualify after swimming in two events in Omaha. He placed 31st in the 400 freestyle with a time of 3:56.74, and came in 91st in the 200 free with a time of 1:53.21.

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