Hunter Armstrong fails to qualify for 100m backstroke final

By Mitch Spinell

TOKYO, Japan - Dover High School graduate and U.S. men's Olympic swimmer Hunter Armstrong finished at 53.21 in the 100-meter backstroke semifinal heat - .01 seconds behind the 8th and final qualifying spot.

The 20-year-old failed to reach the event finals in his first Games after reaching the semifinals with a 53.77 time the previous day.

Armstrong's hometown of Dover, Ohio was mentioned on NBC's television broadcast by announcers Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines, although the former Tornadoe was credited by his first name 'Joseph' as 'J. Armstrong' on the pre-heat broadcast graphics.

Russian Olympic Committee swimmer Kliment Kolesnikov - who also won his preliminary heat alongside Armstrong - took the semifinal heat at 52.29. Kolesnikov's time, however, was eclipsed by Armstrong's teammate Ryan Murphy, who clocked in at 52.24.

The event finals will be held this Tuesday at the Tokyo Aquatics Center.