IU’s Pieroni Named to Team USA for Rio Summer Olympics
7/3/2016 8:28:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
OMAHA, Neb. – Indiana University rising junior Blake Pieroni was officially named to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team on Sunday, USA Swimming announced.
Pieroni had a career swim on Thursday night in the final of the men's 100 freestyle, placing sixth overall with a lifetime-best mark of 48.78. With his sixth-place finish, Pieroni will swim for Team USA's 4x100 relay in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
"The Hoosier nation is so humbled to have Blake Pieroni be the third swimmer to make the U.S. Olympic team at the 2016 Trials," IU head coach Ray Looze said. "His selection caps off a truly fantastic week for our swimming teams. The opportunity to swim on the 400 freestyle relay for United States of America will, without question, bring out the best in Blake. He is such a fantastic relay swimmer and we are so very excited to see what he can do for his country in Rio."
Pieroni becomes the 11th IU swimmer or diver to qualify for this summer's Olympics, joining swimmers Lilly King (USA), Cody Miller (USA), Kennedy Goss (Canada), Ali Khalafalla (Egypt), Anze Tavcar (Slovenia) and incoming-transfer Marwan Elkamash (Egypt) and divers Michael Hixon (USA), Jessica Parratto (USA), Amy Cozad (USA) and James Conner (Australia).
With Pieroni qualifying for Rio, Indiana has now had 81 different swimmers or divers qualify for the Olympics. Those 81 athletes have appeared in a total of 111 Olympic Games.
In the final of the 1500 freestyle, IU postgrad Zane Grothe placed eighth overall with a time of 15:30.79.
Be sure to keep up with all the latest news on the Indiana men's and women's swimming and diving teams on social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Men's 1500 Freestyle
8. Zane Grothe – 15:30.79
Pieroni had a career swim on Thursday night in the final of the men's 100 freestyle, placing sixth overall with a lifetime-best mark of 48.78. With his sixth-place finish, Pieroni will swim for Team USA's 4x100 relay in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
"The Hoosier nation is so humbled to have Blake Pieroni be the third swimmer to make the U.S. Olympic team at the 2016 Trials," IU head coach Ray Looze said. "His selection caps off a truly fantastic week for our swimming teams. The opportunity to swim on the 400 freestyle relay for United States of America will, without question, bring out the best in Blake. He is such a fantastic relay swimmer and we are so very excited to see what he can do for his country in Rio."
Pieroni becomes the 11th IU swimmer or diver to qualify for this summer's Olympics, joining swimmers Lilly King (USA), Cody Miller (USA), Kennedy Goss (Canada), Ali Khalafalla (Egypt), Anze Tavcar (Slovenia) and incoming-transfer Marwan Elkamash (Egypt) and divers Michael Hixon (USA), Jessica Parratto (USA), Amy Cozad (USA) and James Conner (Australia).
With Pieroni qualifying for Rio, Indiana has now had 81 different swimmers or divers qualify for the Olympics. Those 81 athletes have appeared in a total of 111 Olympic Games.
In the final of the 1500 freestyle, IU postgrad Zane Grothe placed eighth overall with a time of 15:30.79.
Be sure to keep up with all the latest news on the Indiana men's and women's swimming and diving teams on social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Men's 1500 Freestyle
8. Zane Grothe – 15:30.79
Players Mentioned
Free/Back
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Diving
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Free/Back
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Freestyle
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