Aug. 3, 2011

PALO ALTO, Calif. – South Carolina junior swimmer Michael Flach will compete for a national championship Wednesday evening, after finishing ninth following a preliminary round swim of 1:59.20 in the 200-meter (long course) butterfly at day two of the 2011 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships at Stanford University’s Avery Aquatic Center in Palo Alto, Calif.

Flach’s time in the 200 butterfly is also an Olympic Trial qualifying cut, while when converted to the short-course yards format that college swimming uses, the time would be a personal best. He will also swim in the consolation final of the 200-meter freestyle after collecting an Olympic Trial qualifying time of 1:51.16 in prelims.

Also on Wednesday, sophomore Rachel Schaffer competed in the 200-meter freestyle, collecting a time of 2:06.04.

Gamecock fans can watch Flach race for the national championship tonight via USA Swimming’s website, (www.usaswimming.org), on Universal Sports beginning at 9 p.m. ET., or by clicking HERE.