McAllen’s Shaine Casas is competing in the Olympics.
Casas, a McAllen High graduate, finished second in the finals of the 200-meter individual medley, earning a berth at the Summer Olympic Games beginning next month.
Casas finished with a time of 1 minute, 55.83 seconds, just 0.18 seconds behind winner Carson Foster. Casas led at the 50-, 100- and 150-meter marks before touching the wall just a second earlier than third place Kieren Smith.
Casas entered the finals with the second best time during the competition, at 1:57.87, only behind Chase Kalisz at 1:56.83. Kalisz captured fourth on Friday.
Casas, a McAllen High alum, advanced to Friday’s finals by winning his heat and has the second fastest time going into the finals.
The Olympic swimming trials were held for the first time on a football field — Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Summer Olympics, which will be held in Paris, run from Wednesday, July 24, until Saturday, Aug. 11. The 200 IMs, Casas’ event, will begin Thursday, Aug, 1 with heats competition. The semifinals will be held later that night and the championship will be Friday, Aug. 2.
Casas swam in the first of two semifinals and posted a time of 1 minute, 59.10 seconds to reach Thursday’s semis. He entered the event as the top seed in the 200 IM in 1:56.06.
Casas also has the second fastest time entering the 100-meter Butterfly. but chose to not compete in that event so he could focus on the 200 finals.
