Matheny makes most of second chance
Silver in 200 breast earns Olympic spot
There was a silver lining after all for Josh Matheny.
After just missing out on a berth for the Summer Olympic Games to be held in Paris, the Upper St. Clair native gained his spot during the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for swimming held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
“Pure joy,” said Matheny during his press conference immediately following his qualifying race. “It doesn’t quite feel real yet. I looked up at the board and totally forgot where I was. It took like a full minute to register that it even said second next to my name.”
Only days earlier the scoreboard read a discouraging third. In his first race on June 16, Matheny placed third. During the 100-meter breaststroke event, he clocked a 59.23 to finish .07 seconds behind Charlie Swanson (59.16), who clinched the silver medal.
Only the top two swimmers in each event along with several other freestylers for a total of 26 male swimmers advance to the Olympics.
Nic Fink won the 100 race in 59.08.
Matheny said he thought of that finish as he closed in on his Olympic berth.
“The thought of just getting third again powered me to the wall,” he said.
A pep talk with Lilly King also fueled Matheny. The two are teammates at Indiana University. King also qualified for the Olympic Games, where she already has captured gold medals in the past.
“Lilly is one of my closest friends. Such a great mentor, especially after the 100,” Matheny said. “She is definitely somebody that I can look to and rely on. She has been to the Games and has had her share of ups and downs in the sport. She helped pull me through it along with my incredible team and coaches. Just to help me get back on the horse and get ready to race.”
Matheny’s 200 event came three days after the 100 and marked his last opportunity to make the Olympic team. Matheny made the most of his final chance.
Though he was seeded third after winning his semifinal heat with a time of 2:08.79, Matheny roared back to score silver in the finals held June 19. He clocked a 2:08.86 for second place, 2.32 behind Matt Fallon, who is also making his first Olympic appearance. Fallon’s time of 2:06.54 shattered the long-standing American record (eight years) set by Josh Prenot.
Of the University of Pennsylvania rival Matheny said, “Matt had an incredible swim. I try not to look at him because all of a sudden he is not there.”
Matheny’s strategy was simple, not to mention his style.
“I knew I had to be out fast. It’s the way I like to swim that race. Get on top and try to hold them off as much as I can,” he said.
A junior at Indiana University, Matheny has been a seven-time All-American, two-time NCAA medalist and three-time Big Ten team and individual champion. He’s also made the academic All-Big Ten squad.
During his scholastic career, Matheny broke multiple age-group, district and state records not to mention national marks.
In 2021, he won three gold medals at the PIAA meet his senior season, including capturing the 100-yard breaststroke title for the fourth year in a row with a NFHS and state record time of 51.84 seconds. He also won a fourth WPIAL title in the 100 breast and led USC to the team championship. That year, he also was named The Almanac/Observer-Reporter male Athlete of the Year.
Matheny’s been a World Junior champion. He’s also helped Team USA break a world record in the 4×100-meter mixed medley relay, swimming a 59.31 breaststroke leg.
Matheny competed in the World Aquatics Championships last summer. He qualified with runner-up finishes in the 100 breast (59.20) and 200 breast (2:08.32). That time was a personal best.
For all his achievements, however, making the U.S. Olympic team is the pinnacle. He travels to Paris with Team USA for the Summer Games, starting with the Opening Ceremony on July 26.
“Super excited to wear the cap and race for the United States,” said the 21-year-old son of Jeff and Kristin
Roy gets PR
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- Josh Matheny was the male athlete of the year for The Almanac and Observer-Reporter during his senior year at Upper St. Clair High School. He recently competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials.
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- Josh Matheny
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- Sylvia Roy of Mt. Lebanon looks up at the scoreboard to see that she won her heat in the 100-meter backstroke during the U.S. Olympic Trials with a personal record time.
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- Josh Matheny enjoys the moment of finishing second and qualifying for the Olympics after his second-place showing in the 200-meter breaststroke race.
Sylvia Roy of Mt. Lebanon made a splash in her first Olympic Trials. The rising senior posted a personal record time of 1:00.95 in winning her heat in the 100-meter backstroke.
The mark was 3:02 off the top time set by Regan Smith, who went on to win the event with a world record time of 57.33 and clinch a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in the Summer Games.
While Roy’s time was good enough for 20th place overall, it fell short of the semifinal qualifying time of 1.00.77.
“Wow,” remarked Mt. Lebanon swim coach Tom Donati, who attended the trials in Indianapolis. “What an amazing swim for Sylvia. She continues to amaze. The fact she was less than two tenths away from the semifinals and being on television was priceless.”
Roy also was scheduled to compete in the 200 back. Qualifying heats on July 20 and finals on July 21 occurred after the June 23 edition of The Almanac went to press.
Roy is a three-time WPIAL champion in the backstroke as well as the 50-yard freestyle. She won the state title in the 100 back during the PIAA championships held in March.
In defending her title, she clocked a 52.90. The time shattered the state record of 53.08 set in 2014 by Hershey’s Meaghan Raab. The mark was also nearly two seconds faster than silver medalist Alexa Conner from Lower Merion.
A member of the Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club, Roy will swim collegiately for the University of Virginia beginning with the 2025-26 season.