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Olympic Trials

Qualifies for Olympic Trials

Payton Improves

The Olympics often seem like an unachievable dream for most athletes no matter the sport. But after winter swim nationals, BYU swimmers Brynn Sproul and Payton Sorenson are one step closer to competing in Tokyo in 2020.

Sproul, an 18-year-old from Las Vegas and a BYU freshman, is already making her swim dreams a reality.

On the other side of the spectrum, Sorenson, a senior global studies major at BYU, has years of experience on Sproul. He has already qualified for the Olympics once but wants this time around to end in competing in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Payton Improves

Qualifies for Olympic Trials

Payton Improves

"Payton improves on some part of his performance every time he enters a race," assistant swim coach Shari Skabelund said. "He is a racer and loves to compete. It has been a beautiful journey, conference freshman athlete of the MPSF championships to NCAA All- American and two-time Olympic trial qualifier. He has a champion's heart."

Both swimmers grew up participating in recreational leagues and on club teams but had different views on their Olympic goals.

"I was really good when I was little, and then when I was in high school I was good, but I wasn't 'this guy is going to go to the Olympics' good," said Sorenson, laughing. "It wasn't really a reality for me until 2016 when I made it to the semi-finals (of Olympic trials) and thought, 'Maybe I can do this.'"

Sorenson made it to the semi-finals of qualifiers in 2016, swimming alongside big names like Nathan Adrian and Caeleb Dressel. This time, he hopes to make it all the way.

"I was in the lane next to Nathan Adrian (in 2016), and they had a booth where you could watch your race in slow motion," Sorenson said. "I got to watch his stroke and my stroke and see what I needed to work on in comparison to how he swam."

Qualifies for Olympic Trials

SORENSON QUALIFIES FOR OLYMPIC TRIALS-
"BYU senior Payton Sorenson qualified for the Olympic Swimming Trials in the 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Winter Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Thursday.

On the second day of the long-course meet, Sorenson swam a time of 22.77 in the prelims of the 50-meter freestyle event, qualifying him for the 2020 Olympic Trials. Swimming in an Olympic-sized pool, it was Sorenson's first chance to qualify for the trials. He went on to race in finals and earned a faster time at 22.45, placing him in second after Nathan Adrian, a five-time Olympic gold medalist.
Sorenson currently holds the fastest time in the nation and BYU's No. 1 all-time best time for the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 19.19, recorded a few weeks ago at the Mizzou Invitational. In addition, he is now the second fastest American in the 50-meter freestyle."

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Payton Sorenson isn't just a good swimmer: he's a world-class swimmer. At just 27 years old, Sorenson has become one of the world's best sprinters and made it into the semifinals of the 2016 Olympic trials.

"I wasn't expecting to make it that far last time," Sorenson said.

Sorenson had only been home for a year from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he surprised both himself and his coaches with his performance. His success at that time continues to fuel his training.

"It gave me a taste for it because I didn't think I was going to make it that far," Sorenson said.

After four years, the BYU senior will once again participate in the Olympic trials with aspirations to represent - along with the rest of the national team - the U.S. at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Sorenson qualified for the Olympic trials at the U.S. Winter Nationals meet in December when he completed the 50-meter freestyle event in 22.45 seconds. He placed second at the meet, taking home a silver medal. Along with qualifying, Sorenson also set a personal record time.

"This time, I know that I'm capable of doing well," he said. "Having that depth in my self-belief is going to take me further."

Sorenson isn't the only one who's optimistic about the upcoming trials. Head coach John Brooks is also optimistic about Sorenson's coming opportunities, though he acknowledges their inherent difficulties.

"We (the U.S.) have the fastest swimmers in the world, so to make the Olympic team you have to be one of the top two swimmers in the world," Brooks said. "He is currently ranked 17th in the world. In our country, he is ranked fourth or fifth."

Brooks asserts that as the 17th fastest swimmer in the world, Sorenson would be a shoo-in for the national team of any other country.

"It's a tall task, but he's a very strong competitor, and he wants to do his very best," Brooks said on Sorenson's prospects for making it onto the U.S. national team.

Brooks has been working closely with Sorenson to ensure he can be at his best for the trials. Sorenson says that he has been working feverishly on the mental aspect of swimming to improve his times.