Galat Misses On Second Olympic Push
OMAHA, Neb. – The dream came up a little short for an area swimmer.
Bethany Galat, currently attending Texas A&M University but a graduate of Penn High School, finished sixth Wednesday night in Olympic qualifying for the 200 individual medley. Galat swam a 2:12.82, a full three seconds off of the pace set by champion Maya DiRado, who won the event and qualified in yet another event for the Rio Olympics with a time of 2:09.54.
DiRado won the 400 IM earlier in the week, with Galat finishing just off the qualifying line in third.
Melanie Margalis, who just 45 minutes after finishing the 200 freestyle swim, used her freestyle speed to come home at 2:10.11 to earn the Olympic qualifying spot in second. The touch by Margalis at the wall was dramatic as Caitlin Leverenz was short by .05 seconds.
Madisyn Cox (2:11.24) and Ella Eastin (2:11.49) were fourth and fifth. Meghan Small (2:13.31) and Emily Cameron (2:14.16) completed the final.
The Rio Olympic Games will begin Friday, Aug. 5.