Swimmer Keaton Jones from Gilbert qualifies for US Olympic team

Keaton Jones, a 19-year-old swimmer from Gilbert, qualified for the Olympic Games at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Thursday.

Jones finished second in the 200-meter backstroke final in Indianapolis with a time of 1:54.61, just behind four-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Murphy (1:54.33).

An emotional Jones embraced the 28-year-old Murphy, a fellow California Golden Bear, after the race.

THREE straight wins at the Olympic Trials for Ryan Murphy to punch his ticket in the 200m back again. 💪

📺 NBC & @peacock | #SwimTrials24 pic.twitter.com/0Gp5tNGr1p

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) June 21, 2024

He edged out Murphy during the semifinals 1:55.49 to 1:55.69.

Jones graduated from Higley High School and is a rising sophomore at California. He became an All-American last season as a freshman in the 200-meter backstroke.

Huge congratulations to Keaton Jones who just qualified for the U.S. Olympic Swim Team competing at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
WOW! Sooooo amazing! pic.twitter.com/LKrAXfHAZV

— HHSAthletics (@HHSAthletics15) June 21, 2024

Jones was the No. 9 overall recruit for the 2023 class by SwimSwam.com and a two-time Division I Arizona Swimmer of the Year. He competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials as a 16-year-old representing Phoenix’s Swim Neptune.

Heats for the 200-meter backstroke in Paris commence on July 31. The finals take place on Aug. 1.

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