Multiple Texas Longhorn Swimmers Qualify for Paris Olympics

Current, former, and future Texas swimmers will compete in the 2024 Olympic games following their top-five finishes in their respected categories, with room for more success as the trials continue.

Carson Foster celebrates after winning the 400-meter individual medley final Sunday, June 16, 2024, during the second day of competition for the U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY

Five former, current, and future student-athletes of the Texas men's and women's swim teams have secured their spot on Team USA for the upcoming summer Olympic games after competing in the team trials held in Indianapolis this week.

Aaron Shackell, Carson Foster, Luke Hobson, Drew Kibler, and Erin Gemmell will be Paris-bound following their final results, each having a top-five finish in their respective categories.

The men's team saw a total of 25 athletes qualify for the trials while the women's team saw 22, including a combined nine incoming freshmen.

Rising sophomore Shackell took the initiative for the Longhorns, claiming a first-place finish in the 400 free on the first day of the trials with a time of 3:45.46 and automatically earning his ticket to Paris for being a top finisher in an individual event. Shackell recently transferred to Texas from California and will arrive in Austin as an Olympian.

Texas graduate Foster followed with his win in the men's 400 individual medley, recording a time of 4:07.64. Foster swam for the Longhorns from 2020-2023, becoming the World Champion in 2022 and being a three-time National Champion, all in the 800 free relay.

Hobson brought home the third Longhorn victory in the 200 free, automatically reserving his spot on Team USA with a 1:44.89 finish. The rising senior has claimed five National Champion titles and made the NCAA National Runner-Up Team in 2022.

Former Longhorn Kibler finished in third place in the 200 free, claiming a time of 1:45.60, just behind Hobson, and qualified for the team as part of the 4x200 free relay.

For women's swim and dive, Gemmell is the only Texas athlete to have a spot on Team USA so far, finishing fourth in the 200 freestyle. The rising sophomore will compete in the 4x200 free relay in Paris with her fourth-place time of 1:56.75.

The trials span from June 15-23, where Texas hopes to see more representation and success inside Lucas Oil Stadium within the coming days.