T&T swimmer Dylan Carter was sixth in the men’s 100 metres backstroke A-final when the curtains came down on the TYR Pro Swim Series at the Indiana University Natatorium, Indianapolis in Indiana, USA, on Saturday.
The T&T swimmer who has already secured a place at the Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan later this year was hoping to be among the medallists on the final day of the four-day meet but delivered a way under-par performance in the final grind, a 55.37-second swim that was inferior to his 55.23 in heat four of the qualifiers.
The race was won by Hunter Armstrong in a quick time of 53.69 seconds. Matt Grevers claimed the runner-up silver medal in 54.27 while Will Grant earned the bronze medal with his time of 54.28. Armstrong (54.46), Matt Grevers (54.73) and Dean Farris (54.82), all occupied the top three fastest qualifying times overall going into the final. All also came from heat five in the qualifiers.
Carter needed to swim significantly faster on the day for a chance at medalling, as even his 55.23-timing would not have been enough for a silverware. Dean Farris who was fourth in the race turned in a time of 54.36 and fifth-place Brendon Burns earned his position after a 55.17 swim. Jack Wever and Brett Pinfold completed the field with times of 55.40 and 55.59 for seventh and eighth, respectively.
On Saturday morning, Carter who had a seeded time of 54.03 made sure of ending the four-day meet with a chance of a top-three finish in the 100m backstroke A-final after he won heat four of five to end as the sixth fastest in the heats.
Starting from lane two, Carter was third at the halfway stage in 26.81 behind Alex Gliese (26.60), and Jack Dolan (26.70) after having the joint-fastest reaction time of 0.54, the same as Burns, Gliese and Nicolas Albiero.
But the T&T ace turned on the burners on the home stretch to finish in 28.42 for a combined time of 55.23, and sixth overall, well clear of Burns (55.66), who qualified in the eighth and final spot for the A-final.