The YWCA of Greenwich Dolphins Swim Team joins an elite group of 10 swim clubs in the State of Connecticut sending a team member to 2016 USA Olympic Swimming Trials, which begin on June 26 and run through July 3 at the Century Link Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
Thomas Dillinger, 19, Alex Jahan, 18 and Kate Hazlett, 15, will be representing the Dolphins in Nebraska. In all 17 swimmers from 10 teams in Connecticut have qualified.
“All three of these athletes have worked very hard in and out of the pool for years and have a tremendous of dedication and focus, as well possessing enormous self-discipline and talent,” said YWCA Dolphins Swim Team Head Coach Nick Cavataro.
The Dolphins, established in 1977, is one of three Connecticut state teams to qualify three swimmers for the “Trials” meet, which will feature approximately 1,500 swimmers from throughout the USA vying for one of the 26 spots on Team USA for the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Aug. 5 to 21.
Dillinger, a Dolphins since the age of six, has qualified for the 200-meter individual medley, and as of today, is ranked 41st in his specialty at 2:03.03. Olympians Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are the top two qualifiers at 1:54.75 and 1:55.81, respectively. Dillinger punched his ticket to Omaha at 2015 Junior National Meet in San Antonio, last August. Dillinger holds both the Greenwich High School and CIAC state high school records in the 200-IM.
The University of Pennsylvania rising sophomore, also qualified for the 50-Meter Freestyle, while at Penn this past December in a meet at Kenyon. Dillinger goes in to the one-lap sprint ranked 111th at 23.12. The top seed is Olympic medalist Nathan Adrian.
Jahan, who, like Dillinger qualified for the selection meet last August, will race the 200-meter breaststroke and goes in ranked right at the qualifying standard of 2:18.38. Jahan, a double CIAC medalist, will attend and compete for the Ohio State University Buckeyes this fall.
Hazlett, a Greenwich Academy rising sophomore and a Dolphins member since the age of six, qualified for the Trials meet Memorial Day weekend at the Speedo Premier Invitational in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. The 15-year old dropped five seconds to qualify at 2:15.67. Olympic Gold Medalist, Missy Franklin is the top qualifier at 2:06.34.
“Our YWCA is so proud of our very talented swimmers Kate, Alex and Thomas, and we congratulate them, share their excitement and wish them good luck,” said Adrianne Singer, YWCA President and CEO.
Both the preliminaries, semi-finals and finals will be broadcast live of exclusively across NBC networks and mobile platforms. Prelims will be LIVE daily at 11 a.m. on the NBC Sports app. NBC Sports will live stream the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials beginning on June 26 and continuing through July 3. NBC’s comprehensive live streaming from the Trials will include all of the prelims and finals sessions.
