INDIANAPOLIS — Max Reich’s near lifelong goal is within reach.
Reich, a North Hampton resident and 2020 graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Dover, remembers as far back as 2012 he had one clear destination in mind — making the United States men’s 2024 Olympics swim team.
That decade-plus-long dream will either be realized or remain a dream this weekend at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“We’ll see what happens this week, but I’m definitely not trying to put too much pressure on myself,” said Reich, who swam for four years at Indiana University. “I’m just trying to go into it knowing that if it happens, it happens and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Whatever happens, it was meant to be.”
Reich will compete in the 100-meter and 200-meter breaststrokes at this weekend’s trials. The 100 begins on Saturday, with the final cuts on Sunday. Reich will have a “day off” on Monday, before competing in the 200 on Tuesday. The top two placements in each event will qualify for next month’s Olympics in Paris.
When do the 2024 U.S. Olympic swimming trials start and end?
The 2024 U.S. Olympic swimming trials begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday with the first preliminary races, followed by the first night of finals at 8. The trials take place over nine consecutive days, ending June 23.
How do I stream the U.S. Olympic swimming trials?
All sessions of the 2024 U.S. Olympic swimming trials can be streamed live on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com and the NBC/NBC Sports apps.
Who is Reich competing against? How does Olympics swim trials qualifying work?
There are 88 contestants in the 100, and 79 in the 200.
“The culmination of my swim career has kind of led up to this week and this moment,” Reich said. “It’s very exciting and very cool, but I’m also trying to not let that pressure overwhelm me.”
The top two swimmers in each event qualify for the Olympics and the field of swimmers comes in with razor-thin differences in times.
Reich is seeded 14th in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of (1 minute 0.88 seconds). The second-seeded swimmer’s time is 59.2 seconds and the No. 1 seed is at 58.36.
Reich is seeded 10th in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:11.35. The second-seeded swimmer’s time is 2:08.23 and the No. 1 seed is 2:07.71.
“I am just going to try to do as well as I can in both events,” Reich said. “Realistically, I have a much better shot of (reaching the finals) in the 200 than the 100.”
How did Reich get here?
Reich qualified for this weekend’s Olympic trials last year at a TYR Pro Series Swim Meet in Westmont, Illinois. He placed eighth in the 200 breaststroke (2:13.48) and 13th in the 100 (1:01.99).
“I’ve been swimming competitively since I was 10 years old,” Reich said. “I’m 22 now, that’s 12 years of my life that I’ve sacrificed so much for this sport, all that in the pursuit that I can do as well as I can during this meet. I’m feeling really good, I’m excited for trials and I’m just going to do the best I can.”
Reich said there are nerves there, but at the same time, he’s also a little bit relaxed.
“In the sense that if I don’t make the team, then this is it,” he said. “Whatever happens is kind of meant to be in my mind. I’m ready for the next chapter. Obviously, there are nerves just because it’s the (Olympic) trials and everything up until this moment has been preparation for this moment. But, at the same time, I’m also very excited looking forward to the next chapter.”
What are Reich’s expectations?
Reich would like to set a new personal best time in both the 100 (1:00.88) and 200 (2:10.94).
“If I (set PR in 100) that probably should put me in the semifinal (top 16),” Reich said. “If I swim lights out, then (making the finals) would be crazy, but I don’t think that’s super realistic.”
As far as the 200?
“My biggest goal for this meet is definitely to try and get in that championship final in the 200 and see what happens after that,” Reich said.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: STA grad Max Reich competing in U.S. Olympic swim trials this weekend
