OMAHA — In a U.S. Olympic Trials where winners have been as predictable as a sunrise, the sun set Thursday night on America’s greatest breaststroker in history.
Brendan Hansen, the American record holder in the 200 breaststroke, could not qualify in the event as he faded to fourth. Scott Spann, who just transferred to Texas from Michigan, won in 2:09.97 with Eric Shanteau, a former Longhorn, taking second in 2:10.36. Former University of Wyoming star Scott Usher was third in 2:11.00.
Hansen, also a former Longhorn, finished in 2:11.37, nearly three seconds behind his American record. However, Hansen did make the team Monday in winning the 100 breaststroke, in which he’s the world-record holder.
“I train with those guys every day,” Hansen said. “Maybe I trained them a little too well. Maybe I should be a coach instead of a swimmer.”
Hansen, 26, held the world record until Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima broke it with a 2:07.51 on June 8 — but the anticipated showdown in Beijing won’t occur.
“I came to the pool and didn’t have a very good feeling about warm-up and everything in general,” Hansen said. “These guys just brought it tonight. They really did.”
Another Texas Longhorn, Garrett Weber-Gale, won the 100 freestyle in 47.92, with Jason Lezak, the American record holder, taking second in 48.05. Cullen Jones became the second African-American to make the U.S. Olympic men’s swim team by finishing third.
Dara Torres put herself in position for her fifth Olympic team at age 41 by clocking 53.76 in her semifinal heat, the sixth fastest time in the world this year. She qualified second behind Natalie Coughlin, 25, who finished in 53.66.
“Before we swam, when we were putting our suits on, she said, ‘You know, Dara, I am the oldest woman on the team,’ ” said Torres, holding her 2-year-old daughter, Tessa. “I need you to make it so I’m not the oldest anymore.'”
Also, Michael Phelps won his semifinal in the 200 individual medley where he’s the world-record holder. Tonight he’ll attempt to win his fourth of six individual events at the Trials.
Freeman wins heat. While many swimmers buckle under the pressure and hype of the Trials, St. Mary’s Academy grad Ellie Freeman is thriving on the nation’s biggest stage. She posted her second personal best in this meet by winning her 200 breaststroke heat in 2:32.60, beating her previous best by six-tenths of a second. But her time was not good enough to advance her to the semifinals.
Heritage High grad Mark Dylla finished 75th in the 200 individual medley in 2:08.20, one day after making the finals and swimming against Phelps in the 200 butterfly.
Marty Wahle, a Fort Collins High School grad, finished 36th in the 200 backstroke in 2:04.71. Former Fairview High All-American Madeline Rovira, a senior at Stanford, took 72nd in the 100 freestyle in 57.10.
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
