Three Maine swimmers came up short Monday night in their efforts to advance at the United States Olympic Swimming Trials at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
James Wells, a former four-year Maine high school state champion for Morse High of Bath, raced to a time of 55.8 seconds in the 100-meter backstroke prelims. Wells’ time missed by four-tenths of a second for the time that advanced a swimmer to the semifinals.
Wells, who trained as an age-group swimmer for the Long Reach Swim Club of Bath, turned at the 50-meter mark in 27.07 and finished tied for 27th in the field of 185 racers. The Indiana University graduate swims for the Badger Swim Club of New York.
The fastest performer in the prelims was 30-year-old David Plummer at 53.2. The finals in the 100-meter backstroke will be Tuesday.
Emma Waddell of Bangor and Bath’s Caitlin Tycz, competed in the prelims of the 100-meter butterfly. Tycz, a senior at Morse High who trains at LRSC, recorded a 1:01.7 in the prelims while Waddell, a junior at William College, finished in 1:02.4.
A time of 59.8 earned a lane in the semifinals.
University of Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell won the finals of the 100 butterfly (56.8). In 2012, at the Olympic Trials, Worrell finished in 1:00.7 and did not advance beyond the prelims.
The fastest time in the prelims came from Worrell at 56.9 with American record holder Dana Vollmer touching in 57.4. Vollmer also will represent America in the 100-meter butterfly following her second-place finish in the finals.
In the semifinals, Vollmer clocked a 56.9 and Worrell a 57.1.
Meanwhile, Brooke Zeiger, daughter of former University of Maine swimmer and Bucksport native Whitney Leeman Zeiger, narrowly missed the finals in the 400-meter individual medley finishing in 4:42.4, fractions behind 4:42.0, the final qualifying time for the championship field..
Maya Dirado won the event at 4:33.7 and will be the top competitor for America at the Olympics in August. Zeiger swims for the University of Minnesota.
The Olympic Trials continue through Sunday.