This past month, 12 City of Mason Manta Rays competed in Wave I and Wave II of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials. This year’s Olympic Trials was the first time a City of Mason Manta Ray athlete has ever qualified for finals at the Olympic Trials. The City of Mason is proud of each swimmer’s performance and their hard work and dedication leading up the Olympic Trials. You’re invited on Monday, July 12, in the Atrium of the Mason Municipal Center to congratulate the 12 Mason Manta Rays athletes who qualified for the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials. The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. Join us in recognizing the success and accomplishments of our Mason Manta Rays Olympic Trials Qualifiers!
During the Trials, 8 out of 12 Mason Manta Ray swimmers placed in the top 16 in their respective event, qualifying them to compete in the event’s semifinals or finals. During Wave II of the Trials, Mason swimmers placed in the top 8 in six different events. In total the City of Mason Manta Rays swimmers competed in 26 different events over the three-week period during Wave I and Wave II of the United States Olympic Swimming Trials.
Wave I Recap
Eight Mason Manta Ray swimmers (Carl Bloebaum, Noah Young, Jessey Li, Reese Lugbill, Tyler Babinec, Griffin Manning, Jacob McDonald, Ansel Froass competed in Wave I of the 2020 US Olympic Trials. Carl Bloebaum, Tyler Babinec and Ansel Froass all advanced to the finals of Wave I for their respective events. Carl Bloebaum finished first in the 200 Fly advancing him to Wave II.
Wave II Recap
Mason Manta Rays Carl Bloebaum, Adam Chaney, Cora Dupre, Carson Foster and Jake Foster competed in Wave II.
Adam Chaney, Cora Dupre, Carson Foster and Jake Foster all advanced to the semifinals in Wave II. Adam Chaney, Jake Foster and Carson Foster went on to advance to the finals in Wave II for their respective events. Adam Chaney placed fifth in the finals in the 50M freestyle, earning him the title for being the fastest 19 and under swimmer in the country; Jake Foster place fifth in the 400M Individual Medley and sixth in the 200M Breaststroke; Carson Foster placed fourth in the 200M Individual Medley, third in the 400M Individual Medley, just missing making the Olympic Team by 0.5 seconds. Carson Foster also placed eighth in the 200M Free, again just missing the US Olympic Team by two tenths of a second.
Carl Bloebaum placed second overall for all 18 and younger swimmers in the country earning him a spot on Team USA’s 2021 World Junior Championship Team. The World Junior Swimming Champions were scheduled to compete in Kuzan, Russia at the end of August; however, the meet has been postponed until 2022. USA Swimming is planning on having the Team compete at another international meet later this year.
Becoming an Olympic swimmer is no easy feat. Only .01% of USA swimmers qualify for the opportunity to compete to be on the USA Olympic Swimming Team. The City of Mason had 13 Manta Rays swimmers that qualified to compete in both Wave I and Wave II of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials.
To qualify for the Olympic Swimming Trials, swimmers must meet the time standard set by USA Swimming, the National governing body of the sport. The Trials time standards are released approximately two years prior to the Olympic games and are based on the type of stroke, individual vs. medley, as well as men vs. women. To qualify for the Olympics swimmers must finish in the top two of one of the 13 individual events. If an athlete is participating in a swimming relay, he/she must place in the top six in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle relays.
Following the unprecedented events of the pandemic, USA Swimming developed a plan to conduct the Olympic Trials in an environment that prioritizes the safety and health of athletes by dividing the Trials into two competitions, Wave I and Wave II. Swimmers were placed in Wave I or Wave II based upon qualifying times. Swimmers in Wave I had to compete for the opportunity to advance to Wave II. In addition, swimmers in each event had to compete in a preliminary race to qualify for semifinals and then finals in each Wave.
A total of 1,543 swimmers, ages 12-39 achieved at least one Wave I Trials standard inside the qualifying period, which began in November of 2018, with 651 Wave II qualifiers and 892 with only Wave I. A total of 50 Wave I swimmers advanced to Wave II.
Mason Manta Rays was one of the only municipal swim team represented at the Olympic Trials. The City of Mason qualified more swimmers than any other club team in Ohio. And, the Mason Manta Rays had the most qualifiers of any team in the country without a fifty meter pool.
The City is proud of Head Coach Ken Heis, Assistant Coach Todd Billhimer and the performance of all the Manta Ray Swimmers.
The City of Mason looks forward to following the accomplishments of these Mason Manta Rays athletes and is excited for what the future holds for the Mason Manta Rays program!
Wave I
Carl Bloebaum:
200 Fly (1st) 1:58.90 FINALS Won Wave I to qualify and swim in Wave II
100 Fly (3rd) 53.36 FINALS
Noah Young:
100 Back (56th) 57.98
200 Back (33rd) 2:06.61
Jessey Li:
100 Breast (TT) 1:11.79 (DQ’ed in individual event)
Reese Lugbill:
200 Breast (20th) 2:37.60
100 Breast (TT) 1:14.66
Tyler Babinec: FINALS
100 Breast (13th) 1:02.62
Griffin Manning:
100 Breast (50th) 1:03.81
Jacob McDonald:
400 Free (18th) 4:03.85
Ansel Froass:
100 Breast (57th) 1:04.11
200 IM (4th) 2:04.04 FINALS
Wave II
Carl Bloebaum:
200 Fly (25th) 1:59.60
100 Back (TT)
100 Fly (25th) 53.14
Adam Chaney:
100 Back (9th) 53.96 – Semi Finals
100 Free (9th) 48.81 – Semi Finals
50 Free (5th) 22.08 (22.00 in semis) – Finals (The fastest 19 & under swimmer in the country)
Cora Dupre:
100 Back (25th) 1:01.48
200 Free (46th) 2:03.02
100 Free (19th) 55.31
50 Free (12th) 25.28 – Semifinals
Carson Foster:
400 IM (3rd) 4:10.86 – 7th Fastest Time in the world in 2021. Just missed making the Olympic team by 0.5 seconds
200 Free (8th) 1:46.67 – Finals Swim – Just missed making the Olympic Team by two tenths of a second.
200 IM (4th) 1:57.99 – Finals Swim
Jake Foster:
400 IM (5th) 4:13.74 – Finals
200 Breast (6th) 2:11.64 -Finals
200 IM (10th) 1:59.72 – Semifinals