Avon’s Madison Kennedy
Avon’s Madison Kennedy hits the water today in her signature event – the 50 meter freestyle — at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Omaha, Nebraska. Qualifying begins at 11 a.m. The top 16 qualifiers advance to the semifinals on Saturday night, which will be broadcast live on NBCSN.
The top eight from the semifinals advance to Sunday night’s final at 7 p.m. on NBC. The top two from the final earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
She is the top seed among the 186 swimmers in the event with a career-best time of 24.45 seconds at the Arena Pro Series in Mesa, Arizona in April. It’s the third fastest time in U.S. history and seventh fastest time in the world this season.
Kennedy followed up that by swimming a 24.53 at the Arena Pro Series in Charlotte, where she lives and trains with Swim Mac Carolina.
It won’t be easy. Simone Manuel, a 19-year-old from Stanford is the No. 2 seed at the Olympic Trials with a time of 24.47 seconds with Ivy Martin, a 22-year-old from the University of Wisconsin at No. 3 with a time of 24.62. Dana Vollmer is the No. 4 seed at 24.69. Manuel earned a spot on the Olympic team Friday night by finishing second in the 100 freestyle.
Kennedy was ninth on Thursday in the 100 meter freestyle, twice swimming career-best times in the event by missing out on the finals by 0.11 of a second.
Catch up with some of our previous stories on Madison.
Collinsville Press, June 30: Kennedy finishes ninth in 100 meters at U.S. Olympic Trials
Collinsville Press, June 26: Avon’s Kennedy set to swim at Olympic Trials this week
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