AUBURN, Ala. – The U.S. Olympic team will include two former Auburn swimmers at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics next month with Annie Lazor and Zach Apple both earning their spot last week during the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Nebraska.
Lazor, who swam at Auburn from 2013-16, finished first in the women's 200 breaststroke final at U.S. Trials to secure her spot. She was one of 23 women to make the 2021 swimming team and will be the first female swimmer from Auburn on Team USA since Micah Lawrence represented the U.S. in the London 2012 Summer Olympics.
🗣️"She did it! She really did it".@Lazorlaze is heading to the #TokyoOlympics. #SwimTrials21 pic.twitter.com/zwsDokk4X4
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) June 19, 2021
"I kind of knew deep down," Lazor said after the race. "I hit the 150 wall and I was like, 'Oh, I'm a little bit ahead. I'm usually not ahead at the 150.' So I kind of knew I would be there, and to look up and see Lilly (King) right there, it was just like practice every day."
"It was a great feeling to have it be here on one of the biggest stages, but in reality I wanted to make it feel exactly like practice."
Lazor is the only Auburn swimmer in the last decade to earn All-America honors in both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes at a single NCAA Women's Championship, setting personal bests in both events as a senior at the 2016 NCAA meet. She received four total All-America honors in her three years on the Plains.
Apple, who swam at Auburn for three years before transferring to Indiana, secured his spot on Team USA with a second-place finish in the men's 100 freestyle event at U.S. Trials. He will also be part of both the 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle relay teams.
Apple still holds the Auburn record in the 200 freestyle (1:31.18) and is second-fastest all-time in the 100 freestyle (41.36), setting both marks at the 2018 NCAA Championship.
The last time Auburn had a swimmer make the U.S. Olympic team on the men's side was in 2012 with Tyler McGill and Eric Shanteau.