Ryan Murphy and Regan Smith earned their second individual events for the Paris Games with victories at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials on Thursday night.
Murphy touched first in the men’s 200-meter backstroke, adding to his triumph in the 100 back. Smith won the women’s 200 butterfly after previously setting a world record in the 100 backstroke.
Murphy used his stunning underwater technique to hold off Keaton Jones and Jack Akins, finishing in 1 minute, 54.33 seconds. He punched the water in triumph when he saw his name atop the scoreboard for the second time in the meet.
Jones claimed the projected second spot at the Olympics in 1:54.61, while it was another heartbreaking finish for Akins. He was third in 1:54.78, the same position he had in the 100 backstroke when he missed a Paris berth by two-hundredths of a second.
Smith trailed 17-year-old Alex Shackell at the final turn but rallied to win in 2:05.70. Shackell, from suburban Carmel, thrilled the home crowd by claiming the expected second spot for the Olympics in 2:06.69
Shackell is heading to the Olympics with her 19-year-old brother, Aaron, who made the team by winning the 400 freestyle on the opening night of the trials. Their father, Nick Shackell, represented Britain at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.