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Santa Margarita swimmer Teagan O’Dell is talented enough to race multiple events at the U.S. Olympic Trials but plans to focus on one stroke in the coming days in Indianapolis.
The Register’s three-time Orange County female swimmer of the year has entered the 100 and 200-meter backstroke events for the meet, which begins Saturday inside Lucas Oil Stadium. The competition sends its qualifiers to the Paris Olympics this summer.
“I’m going for the qualifying teams — so either Junior Pan Pacs or Olympics — and I feel like just narrowing my focuses down to two races is what is best for me,” O’Dell said before leaving for Trials.
The Cal commit is highly seeded in both her races.
O’Dell, who will represent her Mission Viejo Nadadores club at the meet, is seeded eighth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.51 seconds. The senior-to-be also is the No. 8 seed in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:08.09.
The women’s 100 backstroke begins Monday with prelims and semifinals. The final is on Tuesday.
The women’s 200 backstroke will be held June 20-21.
Only the top-two finishes in most events qualify for the U.S. Olympics roster with the exception being the 100 and 200 freestyles. Those two events usually take the top-six finishers because of the freestyle relays.
O’Dell also achieved Olympic Trials cuts in the 200 and 400 individual medley and the 100 and 200 freestyle.
YOUNG BREASTSTROKERS TO WATCH
Liberty Christian sophomore-to-be Bianca Nwaizu and Fountain Valley senior-to-be Kaitlyn Nguyen — both members of the Irvine Novaquatics — are racing in the breaststroke at Trials.
Nguyen is seeded No. 52 in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.92) while Nwaizu (1:10.20) is No. 72. Nguyen is seeded 21st in the 200 breaststroke (2:29.86).
The women’s 100 breaststroke begins on Sunday.
THE SWIM TEAM’S TRIO
The Swim Team, based at El Toro High and led by veteran Olympic coach Mark Schubert, will be represented by distance contenders Michael Brinegar (Tesoro/Indiana) and David Johnston (Texas) and former Santa Margarita freestyler Macky Hodges (USC).
Johnston is seeded first in the 400 free, third in the 800 free and sixth in the 1,500 freestyles. He also is slotted fourth in the 400 individual medley.
Brinegar, an Olympian in 2020, is seeded third the 1,500 free and eighth in the 800 free. Hodges is positioned 19th in the 200 free.
“My biggest nightmare is David or Michael keeping the other off the team,” Schubert said. “Hope they can both make it.”
The 400 freestyle prelims and finals are Saturday. Johnston’s top-seeded time in 3:45.74.
