Five Paris Olympics storylines to know, from safety to Simone Biles
The Paris Olympics are approaching. Here’s what you need to know about the first post-pandemic games.
American swimmer Hunter Armstrong overcame a nightmare during his 100-meter backstroke semifinal at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Sunday to qualify for Monday’s final.
The 23-year-old qualified for the semi-finals with a top time of 52.95 – the only swimmer to break 53-seconds, making him a top-eight finalist. But a disastrous start left Armstrong playing catchup for most of the race, jeopardizing his hopes of making the final and a chance to return to the Olympics in the 100 back.
His heart „dropped,” he told NBC Sports.
After hitting the wall with 50 meters to go in the final, Armstrong was able to hold off most of the field and finish second with a time of 53.57. He will finish fourth in Monday night’s 100 back final behind Ryan Murphy, Adam Chaney and Jack Aikins, respectively.
Armstrong – seeded ninth in the 100 at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and is currently ranked sixth internationally. Aquatic species of the world – He said the camera setup was in his way and he slipped off the push at the start.
„I knew something was off,” Armstrong told NBC Sports. “The camera they put on the blocks was exactly where I wanted to put my hand. So I’m a little put off. But yes, the wedge is not just set. As soon as I said go I slipped away.
„Luckily, underwater wasn’t my strong suit anyway, so I came up and tried to do it again.”
It was definitely a moment that kept the swimmers up at night, but Armstrong responded with an incredible recovery.
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