The article Emma Weyant Aims for Gold in Women’s 400IM Finals was first published on NBC Sports Bay area.
The first swimming medals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be presented on Saturday night as members of the United States of America compete. The Olympic swimming squad took to the water for the final of the women’s 400m individual medley.
Since 2004, an American woman has won a medal in the 400 IM at every Olympic Games, and Emma Weyant, 19, could be the next to do so after securing the top seed in the finals with a personal best of 4:33.55 seconds in the fourth heat.
Weyant defeated Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu, who was defending her Olympic and world titles. Hosszu finished fourth in the heat and seventh overall with a time of 4:36.01. He had not lost an Olympic or World Championship race since the 2012 London Games.
What does Weyant tell the media after the race? Emma Weyant
Weyant told the media after the race, “I’m pretty delighted with my time.” “It was just what I went off of at trials,” she said, adding that her time from the trials was the quickest swam in the event this year, which she beat in her first heat in Tokyo.
Weyant, a 19-year-old from Florida, was expected to enroll at Virginia last fall. Instead, she deferred, looking to continue training as the coronavirus pandemic created so much uncertainty.
“When she decided to stay back, we fully supported her,” Virginia head coach and Olympic swimming coach Todd DeSorbo. “We wanted her to do what she felt most comfortable and confident with, and what was going to help her accomplish her biggest goals and dreams, which again, was to make the Olympic team.”
If Weyant wins gold tonight, she will become Team USA’s first 400IM gold medallist since Janet Evans won the event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Tracy Caulkins (1984), Claudia Kolb (1968), and Donna de Varona are among those who have previously won the award (1964).