Alabama’s Rhyan White Wins USA Olympic Team Trials 200m Backstroke

6/19/2021 9:54:00 PM | Swimming & Diving

The rising Crimson Tide senior will represent Team USA in the 100m and 200m Backstroke in the upcoming Olympic Games

OMAHA, Neb. – Already Tokyo bound in the 100m backstroke after finishing second in that event earlier in the United States Swimming Olympic Team Trials being held in Omaha, Neb., this week, Rhyan White won the 200-meter backstroke on Saturday to add another event to her schedule.

Already the first Alabama woman to earn a spot on the United States Olympic Swim Team, White is now the first UA woman to win an event at the U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials, taking the top spot in the 200m backstroke by more than a half second, going 2:05.73. She also bettered her own school record and personal best in the event by more than a second.

The first member of the Crimson Tide swimming and diving program to earn a spot on the women's USA Olympic Swim Team, she is the third to earn an Olympic berth for Team USA, joining Ellen McGrath Owen (diving/1992) and Susan Bartholomew Williams (triathlon/2004).

Tyler Sesvold finished seventh in the final of the men's 100-meter butterfly in a time of 52.60, while Cora Dupre finished 12^th in the 50-meter freestyle with a school-record 25.28.

With Saturday's swims, the Crimson Tide's ended its run at the 2021 U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials.

Rhyan White Said

"After last year was cut short, from NCAAs being cancelled. I was really bummed about that. I think that having Ozzie Quevedo as my coach has given me confidence, and I think there was a lot of unfinished business from last year, so we tried to roll that into this year."

Day Seven Results for the Crimson Tide

Women's 200-meter backstroke final – Rhyan White wins the Crimson Tide women's first U.S. Olympic Trials title with a time of 2:05.73
Men's 100-meter butterfly final – Tyler Sesvold moved up a spot from the semis, going 52.60 in the final to take seventh
Women's 50-meter freestyle semifinals – Cora Dupre finished 12^th with a school record 25.28
Men's 50-meter freestyle prelims – Matt King took 20^th with a 22.50
Women's 50-meter freestyle prelims – Cora Dupre swam a 25.42 to finish 13^th, while Morgan Scott was 24^th in a time of 25.64

Current Alabama Swimmers at the USA Swimming Olympic Team Trials

Cora Dupre, 100m backstroke, 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle
Matt King, 50m and 100m freestyle
Morgan Liberto, 100m and 200m backstroke
Derek Maas, 100m and 200m breaststroke and 100m butterfly
Kensey McMahon, 400m, 800m, 1500m freestyle, 400m individual medley
Matt Menke, 100m backstroke
Christopher O'Connor, 100m and 200m backstroke
Nicholas Perera, 200m and 400m individual medley
Morgan Scott, 50, 100m and 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke
Tyler Sesvold, 100m butterfly
Eric Stelmar, 100m and 200m backstroke
Rhyan White, 100m and 200m backstroke, 100m butterfly
Cat Wright, 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley

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