March 31, 2021 at 6:08 a.m.
Francis feels 'accomplished,' qualifies for Olympic Trials
Francis feels 'accomplished,' qualifies for Olympic Trials
That's because a dream she's been chasing for the last couple of years finally became a reality.
Francis, 17, of Rhinelander, and one of the standouts of the Rhinelander High School girls' swim team that won the WIAA Division 2 state championship last fall, had just punched her ticket to the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100-meter backstroke.
The feat took place during the ISCA International Senior Cup, a five-day event featuring some of the top swimmers in the country.
To qualify for the trials, which will take place this June in Omaha, Neb., Francis needed a verified time of 1 minute, 2.69 seconds or better in the 100 backstroke in a long-course (50-meter) pool. She was able to have a crack at the time as the leadoff leg of a 400-meter mixed medley relay team. When she got back to the wall, she looked up at the scoreboard and there it was - a 1:02.61.
"I kind of started laughing because it was exactly the time that I needed and I thought it was funny how close it was," Francis told the River News. "Anything could have caused it to be a 1:02.7. It was just so close.
"It still feels a little weird, a little surreal, but I think it's just a huge relief. I just feel this sense of relief, like I can breathe. I feel a little accomplished. I've thought of that time, that 1:02.6 for so long and it just feels like a relief and I feel really good about it."
Francis has had the Olympic Trials on her mind for more than year. The goal became very tangible after she finished third overall in the 200-yard backstroke and added a ninth-place finish in the 100 backstroke in the West Speedo Winter Juniors in Spokane, Wash. in December 2019.
Her timeline to qualify was pushed back a year when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to this summer.
There had been a couple of runs at an Olympic Trial cut - the time required to be eligible for the event - but she had yet to achieve her goal.
Even during last week's meet, Francis had two other opportunities to go after an Olympic Trial cut. She finished third overall in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:03.26 last Wednesday, the first day of the meet. Last Thursday morning, she tried her hand at the 200-meter backstroke, placing fourth in that event with a 2:16.07 - 1.37 seconds slower than the Olympic Trial cut.
"That (100 backstroke) was a little frustrating and then I had 200 back, so I figured I'd give that a chance because I was about a second and a half off of that cut going in," she said. "You never know, you just try every chance that you have. It was a best time, but just not enough for the cut for the 200 back."
Though Francis had a full slate of events at the Senior Cup, Thursday night's mixed medley relay was her last realistic chance at an Olympic cut.
"I tried not to put too much pressure on it, because I've been in this situation a lot, thinking it's my last chance," she said. "I think, sometimes, that gets to me, so I just tried to keep it a little more calm, I guess. My coach was telling me I need to get mad about it, and take all that anger from missing the cut multiple times and just throw that into the race. I tried that a little bit and I guess it worked out."
As for the swim itself, Francis said it didn't feel out of the ordinary.
"It kinda of just felt like a normal 100 back," she said. "I expected it to feel different but it hurt just the same. It felt just like any other long course 100 back that I would normally swim. Kind of toward the back half where I will usually fall off and my tempo kind of slows down, I was able to hold it together this time just a little better. That's kind of what did it. I couldn't tell you where that came from."
Francis had plenty of company for the feat. Among those on deck to help celebrate were her mother, Amy, her younger sister, Karis, and RHS teammate Abi Winnicki.
"My whole team ran over and was behind the blocks with me, giving hugs and all that. It was really special, really cool," Malia Francis said.
Francis' backstroke time puts her in Wave I of the Olympic Trials, which will be held June 4-7 in Omaha. Wave II of the Olympic Trials takes place June 13-20. According to USA Swimming, only swimmers competing in Wave II will be eligible to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team. The Wave II qualifying time in the 100 backstroke is 1:01.49.
Though a trip to Tokyo won't be in the cards, Francis said the next two months will be spent getting ready to enjoy an event only a select few swimmers get to experience.
"I think my goal will just be to place well, I guess, maybe not be the bottom of the list. I think it will be mostly for the experience," she said. "There will be some pretty fast swimmers in the first wave. My goal will be to just improve my time and enjoy the experience."
Hodag results
Malia Francis had the busiest program of the Rhinelander swimmers who competed in the event, highlighted by her individual performances in the 100 and 200 backstroke, as well as her qualifying time as part of a 400 mixed medley relay that placed third overall. She also finished fifth in the 50 backstroke, 23rd in the 100 butterfly and 25th in the 50 butterfly.
Winnicki also qualified for the event, thanks to the times she achieved in her podium finishes in the 100 and 200 freestyle at the WIAA D2 state meet. She wound up 81st in the 100 freestyle, 82nd in the 200 individual medley, 91st in the 50 freestyle and 70th in the 200 freestyle.
Karis Francis, who swam with Winnicki and Malia Francis on the Hodags' state championship-winning 200 freestyle relay, took 41st as part of the Mid-Wisconsin team's second entry in the 400 mixed medley relay.
"It's been so fun. I love getting to see Karis be down here and experience her first national-level meet," Malia Francis said. "She's done so well, under this kind of more high-stress situation. She's done really well and I think they're both having a lot of fun. I know Abi loves it, especially getting to swim outside and be in Florida. I just think the whole, overall experience is really unique, really cool. It's been super fun."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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