08-10-2016, 03:15 PM
Our very own Simone Manuel had the second-fastest time in 100m freestyle heats this morning, and has Lane 4 for the first semifinal this evening. This event is one of the few swimming events where the US is not necessarily expected to pick up a medal, so a medal of any color would be terrific. Let's go, Simone!
(Of course, a fast heat time isn't indicative of later success, as the top swimmers don't go 100% and do basically just enough to qualify for the semi or final to preserve energy for the later swim, with an extreme illustration of that being the USA's Nathan Adrian, the defending Gold medalist in the men's 100 freestyle, who qualified 16th (last) in this year's 100 freestyle heats--just three hundredths of a second away from not advancing--only to have the fastest time in last night's semifinals.)
(Of course, a fast heat time isn't indicative of later success, as the top swimmers don't go 100% and do basically just enough to qualify for the semi or final to preserve energy for the later swim, with an extreme illustration of that being the USA's Nathan Adrian, the defending Gold medalist in the men's 100 freestyle, who qualified 16th (last) in this year's 100 freestyle heats--just three hundredths of a second away from not advancing--only to have the fastest time in last night's semifinals.)