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Sports

Hardy wins 50m free; Torres' bid for sixth Olympics ends

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Omaha, NE – Dara Torres' bid for a sixth Summer Games appearance came to an end Monday after she finished in fourth place in the women's 50-meter freestyle final at the U.S. Olympic trials.

Torres concluded the race in 24.82 seconds, which was .32 seconds behind winner Jessica Hardy. Kara Lynn Joyce (24.73) came in second and Christine Magnuson was third.

After the race, Torres announced her career was officially over.

"I'm used to winning, but that wasn't the goal here, the goal was to try to make it," Torres said. "I didn't quite do it, but I'm happy with how I did and I was able to hang in there for three races."

The 45-year-old Torres, owner of 12 Olympic medals, participated in the Summer Games first in 1984 in Los Angeles. After winning five medals in Sydney in 2000, Torres didn't go to Athens in 2004 for the Olympics, and nearly two years later gave birth to a daughter, Tessa Grace. She was at CenturyLink Center to cheer on her mom, but the elder Torres needed at least a second- place finish to qualify for London.

"She is bummed that she is not going to London," Torres said of her six-year- old daughter.

In 2008 in Beijing, after coming out of retirement, Torres won three silver medals. She had reconstructive surgery on one of her knees, and in the summer of 2010 announced she started competing to try and get back to the Olympics. Her late coach, Michael Lohberg, who passed away in 2011 after a lengthy battle with aplastic anemia, was an inspiration for Torres' attempt at another comeback.

"I was very emotional before my swim," Torres said. "I was putting my suit on, and started crying because I started thinking about Michael and in July of 2010, he had said to me, 'Let's go for this,' and I really wanted to finish the story that I started with him, and it's tough that I didn't make it, but I know he would be proud."

Joyce, a four-time silver medalist, secured her third Olympic berth.

Hardy was kept off the Olympic team four years ago due to a failed doping test.

"I love Dara, and I wish she could have made it this year, and swimming with her this past couple of years has been an awesome treat, for sure," Hardy said.

The final event of the trials came when Andrew Gemmell won the men's 1500- meter freestyle in a time of 14 minutes, 52.19 seconds. Connor Jaeger ended second and also made the Olympics as he was .32 seconds off the pace.

Gemmell currently swims for the University of Georgia, while Jaeger competes for the University of Michigan.

Earlier Monday, Michael Phelps announced he has decided to cut one event out of his Olympic schedule and won't swim in the 200-meter freestyle. Phelps will still swim seven events -- the 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM and all three relays. He won eight gold medals at the Beijing Games four years ago.