Iowa City's Ruby Martin advances to 200 butterfly finals at U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials

UPDATE: Martin finished fourth in Thursday night's finals.

Original Story:

Iowa City's Ruby Martin, 16, advanced to the finals of the 200-meter butterfly during the United States Olympic Team Swim Trials Wednesday in Omaha, Neb.

Martin – who swims for the Iowa Flyers club team – advanced after a pair of strong swims in the preliminary and semifinal rounds.

Martin qualified for an Iowa-best eight events in Omaha, with the 100-meter butterfly and 200 butterfly being her signature events. She is a two-time silver medalist in 200 butterfly at the USA Swimming Junior Championships.

Martin finished 11th in the morning 200 butterfly preliminary heat with a time of 2:11.62, well within the top-16 places needed for semifinal qualification.

Martin bested her preliminary time by nearly a full second (2:10.67) and finished eighth in the evening semifinal, which earned the Iowa City West junior-to-be the final spot in Thursday's final.

The top-two placewinners in Thursday's final will qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team.

Thursday's finals will be televised at 7 p.m. Iowa time on NBC.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com