Zach Harting Punches His Ticket to Tokyo in 200M Butterfly

Zach Harting celebrates his win in the 200 Fly at the Olympic Trials

Photo by: Justin Casterline

Zach Harting Punches His Ticket to Tokyo in 200M Butterfly

June 16, 2021 | Swimming & Diving

Harting and Albiero were in a wild finish in the finals

By: Nancy Worley

The University of Louisville swimming team gained its first American Olympian for Tokyo on day four of racing at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha.

Cardinal Forever Zach Harting punched his ticket to the Tokyo Olympics when he held off the field to win the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 1:55.06. In the final 50 meters, Harting surged to the wall at the last second on Luca Urlando, Trenton Julian and Gunnar Bentz, who, along with Cardinal Nick Albiero were even across the lanes heading for home. Bentz out-touched Urlando and Albiero took fourth in 1:55.85, marking his first time under 1:56, to pass Julian at the finish.

"A lot of people work their whole lives and they have a dream when they are children and then they get told that is not how the world works when they grow up," said Harting. "I started swimming when I was seven and it was my dream to represent the United States at the Olympics. Not a lot of people get to turn their dreams into reality. I am really grateful tonight. I worked my butt off every day for that. You can do it. Dreams can come true."

The 200-meter fly was Michael Phelps' signature event and Harting will be the first swimmer to replace him on the US team in the event since 2000.

"He left really big shoes to fill. I wake up every day and try to get better and represent the U.S. on the biggest stage, I am not going to let anyone down," said Harting.

In other action tonight, Alena Kraus went 2:10.83 in the semifinals in the 200M butterfly. In prelims, she stopped the clock at 2:12.14 in her preliminary heat to earn the semifinal slot.

In other swims during prelims this morning, Colton Paulson posted a 50.84 in the 100M Freestyle, open water specialist TC Smith, came back to the pool and turned in an 8:08.15 in his heat of the 800M Freestyle. Teammate Hayden Curley boarded an 8:12.37 in his prelim heat of the 800M Freestyle.

On the women's side during prelims this morning, Gabi Albiero put up a personal best time of 2:14.42 in the 200M Butterfly with teammate Tristen Ulett going 2:17.44 in the same event.

Prelims resume tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. ET.
Nick albiero and Zach Harting hug at the blocks

Nick albiero and Zach Harting hug at the blocks

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Cardinals to watch during Wave II
Women
Gabi Albiero (100 fly, 200 fly, 50 free, 100 free)
Adeline Farrington (100 breast, 200 breast)
Morgan Friesen (100 breast, 200 breast)
Abby Hay (200 IM, 400 IM)
Paige Hetrick (100 back, 200 back)
Alena Kraus (100 fly, 200 fly, 200 free)
Tristen Ulett (100 back, 100 fly, 200 fly, 50 free, 100 free, 200 IM)
Kaylee Wheeler (100 breast)
Liberty Williams (400 free, 800 free, 1500 free)

Men
Nicolas Albiero (100 back, 200 back, 100 fly, 200 fly)
Hayden Curley (400 free, 800 free, 1500 free)
Mihalis Deliyiannis (50 free)
Dalton Lowe (100 fly)
Colton Paulson (100 free, 200 free, 400 free)
T.C. Smith (400 free, 800 free, 1500 free)
Jack Wever (100 back, 200 back)
Mitchell Whyte (50 free, 100 back, 100 fly)

Cardinal Pros
Mallory Comerford (100 fly, 50 free, 100 free, 200 free)
Kelsi Worrell Dahlia (200 free, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM)
Casey Fanz (50 free, 100 free)
Zach Harting (200 free, 100 fly, 200 IM, 200 Fly)

Morning preliminary sessions will begin daily at 11 a.m. ET. Nightly semifinals and finals sessions will feature the following start times:

June 13-17: Beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET (first race at 8 p.m.)
June 18-19: Beginning at 8:45 p.m. ET (first race at 9 p.m.)
June 20: Beginning at 8 p.m. ET (first race at 8:15 p.m.)

*Thursday, June 17*	*Thursday, June 17*
Women's 100 Freestyle	Men's 800 Freestyle – FINAL
Men's 200 Backstroke	Men's 200 Breaststroke – FINAL
Women's 200 Breaststroke	Women's 100 Freestyle – Semifinal
Men's 200 Individual Medley	Men's 200 Backstroke – Semifinal
	Women's 200 Butterfly – FINAL
	Men's 100 Freestyle – FINAL
	Women's 200 Breaststroke – Semifinal
	Men's 200 Individual Medley – Semifinal

*Friday, June 18*	*Friday, June 18*
Women's 800 Freestyle	Women's 200 Breaststroke – FINAL
Men's 100 Butterfly	Men's 200 Backstroke – FINAL
Women's 200 Backstroke	Women's 200 Backstroke – Semifinal
	Men's 200 Individual Medley – FINAL
	Women's 100 Freestyle – FINAL
	Men's 100 Butterfly – Semifinal

*Saturday, June 19*	*Saturday, June 19*
Men's 50 Freestyle	Men's 100 Butterfly – FINAL
Women's 50 Freestyle	Women's 200 Backstroke – FINAL
Men's 1500 Freestyle	Women's 800 Freestyle – FINAL
	Men's 50 Freestyle – Semifinal
	Women's 50 Freestyle – Semifinal

*Sunday, June 20*	*Sunday, June 20*
No Preliminaries	Men's 50 Freestyle – FINAL
	Women's 50 Freestyle – FINAL
	Men's 1500 Freestyle – FINAL