INDIANAPOLIS — Carmel, with its club and high school programs, has long been a force in Indiana swimming. On a national stage in front of a home crowd, Carmel swimmers are embracing the bright lights of Lucas Oil Stadium.
One, Aaron Shackell, made the Olympic team on night 1. Another, Kayla Han, finished fourth (top two make the team).
Two more, Kelly Pash and Gregg Enoch, swam in finals Sunday on night 2. And four -- count 'em, Aaron Shackell, Alex Shackell, Drew Kibler, Jake Mitchell -- will swim in finals of the 200 freestyle Monday night in bids to make the team.
Aaron Shackell won a dramatic swim-off in the 200-meter freestyle Sunday. He appeared hopelessly behind through 150 meters, then surged back to beat Daniel Diehl for the eighth spot, 1:46.95 to 1:47.16.
As he after winning the 400 freestyle Saturday, Shackell smashed his fist into the water to celebrate.
In the first race, Shackell and Diehl tied at 1:47.00.
Elsewhere among Indiana swimmers, Lilly King had the fastest time of 100-meter breaststroke semifinals, 1:05.57, and will go for a third Olympic team on Monday night.
There was heartbreak for one Hoosier.
Indiana University’s Josh Matheny was third in the men’s 100 breaststroke final, missing the team by .07.
Alex Shackell was fifth-fastest in a semifinal of the 200 freestyle in 1:57.42, a time beaten by one swimmer in the other semi. So she goes into the final seeded sixth.
Stunningly, five of the eight swimmers in the men’s 200 free final have Indiana ties:
Kibler and Mitchell were third and fourth in 1:45.82 and 1:46.43, respectively. IU graduate Blake Pieroni, an Olympic gold medalist in the 4x100 free relay in 2016 and 2021, was fifth in 1:46.52, Notre Dame’s Chris Guiliano seventh in 1:46.83 and Aaron Shackell eighth in the swim-off.
Zionsville’s Will Modglin, a University of Texas freshman, claimed the eighth spot for final of the 100 backstroke in 53.83.
University of Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh won the 100 butterfly in 55.31, just off the world record of 55.18 she set in semifinals Saturday night. Torri Huske was second in 55.52, a tenth ahead of Regan Smith – who became No. 5 in history but did not make the team.
Pash was fifth in 57.72.
In the night-opening 400 individual medley, Carson Foster made his first Olympic team by finishing first in 4:07.64. He is silver medalist in this event from 2022 and 2023 World Championships.
Thirty-year-old Chase Kalisz, gold medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, was second in 4:09.39.
Two former Indiana high school 500-yard freestyle champions, Kyle Ponsler and Enoch, were sixth and seventh. Ponsler, of North Carolina State and Fishers, clocked 4:16.53 and Enoch 4:17.64.
Contact WTHR correspondent David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.