Former NCSU swimmer takes aim on Olympics

OMAHA, NEB. -- Cullen Jones edged closer to a spot on the U.S. Olympic swim team Wednesday, finishing fourth in the semifinals of the 100-meter freestyle to advance to the final tonight.

Jones, a former N.C. State standout and current Charlotte resident, needs to finish in the top six of the eight-man final to earn the Olympic spot he craves. He posted back-to-back personal bests Wednesday in the preliminaries and semifinals of the 100 at the U.S. Olympic trials.

"I think a lot of people think of Cullen Jones as just a 50-freestyler," Jones said after swimming the 100 in 48.58 seconds. "So I'm turning some heads today."

Also, Charlotte Butler High School graduate Matt Patton finished fourth in the 200 butterfly, missing an Olympic spot by two places. Patton, 21, who swims at Michigan, was three seconds short of an Olympic berth. He did place far higher than his seeding of 14th entering the event.

Jones, 24, has long embraced his role as one of the few prominent African-American swimmers in America. A spot on the U.S. team would allow him far more exposure for his crusade to make sure more black children learn to swim.

He would love to qualify in two events instead of only one. Jones' best individual event is the 50, which is swimming's all-out version of track's 100-meter dash. That event takes only the top two from each country to the Olympics.

The 100 is more forgiving. It offers U.S. Olympic spots to the top six -- although only the top two will swim the individual portion of the race in Beijing -- because more bodies are needed for the 4x100 freestyle relay.

"I like to say the 50 is my bread and butter, but the 100 is more what I'm devoted to being better at right now," Jones said. "The 50 seems to come a little more naturally to me."

Jones moved from Raleigh to train at the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club two months ago, seeking the coaching of MAC's David Marsh.

"When Cullen came in, he needed more than just tweaking," Marsh said. "He needed to believe again. He needed to get more fit. He needed to get his strength up. And he needed to create a race strategy that would work."

The two decided Jones needed to take more breaths in the 100 and work on his start. Marsh also wanted Jones to attack the race instead of swimming it conservatively.

Jones took that to an extreme in the preliminaries, when his first 50 meters were the fastest among the 120 swimmers participating in the event.

Then he "just about died" on the way back, Marsh said.

In the warm-down pool, a paramedic actually approached Jones and asked if he needed help.

Jones recovered well and went even faster. If he can do that one more time tonight, he will make his first Olympic team.