Five Nebraska swimmers set career bests while three qualified for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials while competing at the Region VIII Summer Sectionals last week at the Mizzou Aquatics Center in Columbia, Mo.
Gena Jorgenson, JoJo Randby and senior Sarah Barton qualified for the Olympic Trials in their respective events, while Maia Hall and Caitlin Cairns added career-best swims for the Huskers in Columbia.
Jorgenson, a sophomore to-be in 2023-24, won four event titles, including a career-best and meet-record 8:44.58 to earn her place in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 800 freestyle. Jorgensen slashed more than 20 seconds off her previous best in the event. She added an Olympic Trials qualifying spot in the 1500 freestyle, posting a meet-record 16:40.17 on her way to victory. Jorgenson also earned first-place finishes in the 400 IM (4:53.40, career-best) and the 400 freestyle (4:15.79, career-best). She placed second and set career bests in the 200 freestyle (2:03.26) and the 200 backstroke (2:15.05).
Randby, a rising junior from Omaha, Neb., won all three of her events, including a career-best and U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time of 1:10.02 in the 100-meter breaststroke. Randby added career bests and first-place finishes in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:34.72) and the 50 breast (32.16).
Barton, a senior to-be for the Huskers, raced to victory in the 200-meter butterfly in a career-best 2:13.49 to qualify for the U.S. .Olympic Trials. Barton added a win in the 200 IM with a career-best 2:19.83. She also contributed a second-place finish in the 400 IM with a 4:57.94.
Junior Maia Hall competed in four events and recorded a career-best, fourth-place time in the 200 IM (2:21.78). She finished third in the 200 breaststroke (2:36.16), fourth in the 50 breaststroke (32.82) and sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.80).
Senior Caitlin Cairns competed in the 100 fly and placed fifth with a career-best time of 1:02.83.