With the United States Olympic swimming team trials coming to a close earlier this week, a few more Longhorns have earned the right to represent the United States in London this summer.
Former Longhorn swimmer Ricky Berens will compete in the 200-meter freestyle event in London, his only individual event at the 2012 Olympic Games, in addition to the 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle relays. Berens had qualified during trials for the relays, but a third place finish in the 200-meter freestyle behind Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte initialy kept him out of any individual events.
However, Phelps decided to scratch the 200-meter event from his busy Olympic schedule Monday, saying he wanted to focus his energies on keeping fresh for other events, and opened the door for Berens.
Texas head coach Eddie Reese will join Berens, former Longhorn Brendan Hansen and senior Jimmy Feigen in London as an assistant coach for the United States Olympic men’s team. Reese has coached in six previous Olympic Games, three times as the assistant coach. In the 1992 Barcelona Games, the 2004 Athens Games and the 2008 Beijing Games, Reese was named the head coach for the Games.