On Day 2 of the Rio Olympic Games, Chicago-area swimmers made a big splash.
Winnetka's Conor Dwyer competed in the men's 200m freestyle semifinals Sunday night after finishing 4th in the heats with a time of 1:45.95.
He was looking to protect his final chance at an individual medal after finishing 4th in the 400m freestyle finals Saturday night and perhaps that disappointment gave him the surge necessary for his impressive performance Sunday.
Dwyer won his 200m freestyle semifinal race, qualifying for the finals with a time of 1:45.55. He'll race for the gold on Monday at 8:21 p.m. CT.
Lilly King of Evansville, Indiana, swam in the women's 100m breaststroke semifinals Sunday night after taking the top spot in the earlier heats, notching a time of 1:05.78.
She took first in her semifinal race Sunday night with a time of 1:05.70, qualifying for the finals on Monday at 8:54 p.m. CT.
Kevin Cordes made his Olympic debut in Saturday's events and hoped to medal on Sunday, but fell just short.
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The Naperville native swam in the men's 100m breaststroke finals, the first of two events he will compete in during the Rio Games.
Cordes finished first in the U.S. trials in the event with a time of 59:18, but took fourth in the finals with a time of 59.22. American Cody Miller took home a bronze medal with a time of 58.87.
Olivia Smoliga from Glenview competed in the 100m backstroke semifinals Sunday night after finishing 6th overall in the heats with a time of 59.60.
She finished 4th during her race with a time of 59.35, which was just fast enough for her to claim the 8th overall spot in the finals at 8:30 p.m. CT on Monday.
Springfield's Ryan Held was looking to medal Sunday in his Olympic debut, and that's exactly what he did.
Held was named Illinois State Swimmer of the Year in 2014, and broke two state records in the 1500m freestyle.
“I love the racing,” Held said. “I love racing anybody and everybody.”
Held was competing in Sunday evening's final event, the men's 4x100m freestyle relay.
Swimming with Caeleb Dressel, Nathan Adrian, and Michael Phelps himself, Team USA clocked a time of 3:09.92 to take home the gold.
The medal is Held's first, and Phelps' 23rd, 19 of which are gold.
