Kibler headed to Olympics

Whitlock, Alex Shackell likely to make team as well

By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com

A second Carmel swimmer has made the 2024 Olympic swim team, and other Hamilton County swimmers are likely on the team as well.

Drew Kibler, a 2018 Carmel graduate, qualified for the Paris games on Monday with a third-place finish in the Men’s 200 freestyle. Kibler was part of the 4×200 relay team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, so he will head to the Olympics for the second time, again on the relay, as the top four finishers in the 200 free get first priority to swim on the Olympic relay.

Kibler finished in a time of 1 minute, 45.60 seconds, behind winner Luke Hobson (1:44.89) and runner-up Chris Guiliano (1:45.38). Kieran Smith was fourth in 1:45.61, taking the final relay spot.

Two other Carmel men swam in the 200 free event. Jake Mitchell placed seventh in 1:46.48, while Aaron Shackell, the Men’s 400 freestyle winner and Olympic qualifier in that race, placed eighth in 1:47.37.

The three Carmel men reached the finals by placing in the top eight overall in last Sunday’s semifinals. Kibler took third with a time of 1:45.82, while Mitchell was fourth in 1:46.43. Shackell tied for eighth with a time of 1:47.00; he won a swimoff against Daniel Diehl to reach the final heat. Shackell touched the wall in 1:46.95, with Diehl finishing in 1:47.16.

On Tuesday, Kibler swam in the semifinals of the Men’s 100 freestyle. He finished 15th in a time of 48.90 seconds.

Meanwhile, Carmel senior-to-be Alex Shackell took sixth in the semifinals of the Women’s 200 freestyle last Sunday, advancing her to the finals. Shackell’s time was 1:57.42. In the Monday finals, Shackell held on to sixth place, clocking in at 1:57.05, a time drop of 0.37 seconds. The top four automatically qualify for the 4×200 free relay at the Olympics, but Shackell’s sixth-place is likely to give her a spot on the team if there are still places to fill at the end of the trials.

Whitlock in 800 free finals

Noblesville’s Luke Whitlock, swimming for the Fishers Area Swimming Tigers, placed second in the Men’s 800 freestyle on Tuesday, making it likely he will be on the Olympic team.

Whitlock finished in a time of 7:45.19. Robert Finke, the reigning gold medalist in the Men’s 800 free, placed first, clocking in at 7:44.22. Whitlock’s second-place result makes it almost certain he will have a place on the team when the trials finish.

Whitlock earned the top seed in the Men’s 800 free Monday, finishing first in the prelims with a time of 7:51.22.

In other events last Sunday, two Hamilton County swimmers competed in the finals of the Men’s 400 individual medley.

 

Fishers grad Kyle Ponsler placed sixth in that event, clocking in at 4:16.53. Ponsler qualified eighth for the event in that morning’s prelims, dropping 0.82 seconds and moving up two spots in the finals.

Carmel’s Gregg Enoch finished seventh in the finals of the Men’s 400 individual medley. Enoch clocked in at 4:17.54. He qualified seventh in the prelims with a time of 4:17.64.

Carmel grad Kelly Pash finished fifth in the finals of the Women’s 100 butterfly race. She swam that event in 57.72 seconds.

Several other county swimmers competed in the prelims of events during the past three days. Here is a complete list of results.

Sunday, June 16

Men’s 200 freestyle: 40. Andrew Shackell (Carmel) 1:50.10.

Women’s 100 breaststroke: 56. Molly Sweeney (Carmel) 1:11.02.

Women’s 200 freestyle: 37. Kelly Pash (Carmel) 2:00.92, 42. Lynsey Bowen (Carmel) 2:01.43.

Monday, June 17

Women’s 400 individual medley: 10. Kayla Han (Carmel) 4:47.71, 33. Ellie Clarke (Carmel) 4:54.40, 40. Kate Mouser (Fishers) 5:00.65.

Women’s 100 backstroke: 33. Julie Mishler (Fishers) 1:02.02, T36. Berit Berglund (Carmel) 1:02.04.

Men’s 800 freestyle: 19. Isaac Fleig (Fishers) 8:01.97.

Tuesday, June 18

Men’s 200 butterfly: 23. Gregg Enoch (Carmel) 1:59.56, 14. Aaron Shackell (Carmel) 2:00.97.

Women’s 1500 freestyle: 27. Kayla Han (Carmel) 16:47.50.

Women’s 100 freestyle: 49. Julie Mishler (Fishers) 56.27.