Lawrence’s Michael Andrew advances to 200 IM finals at Olympic trials, but won’t compete

Michael Andrew reacts after winning his preliminary heat in the men's 100-meter breaststroke at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Sunday, June 26, 2016, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

? For the second time this week, Lawrence’s Michael Andrew qualified for an event finals at the U.S. Swim Trials at CenturyLink Center.

Only this time, he will be passing on the opportunity.

Andrew finished sixth in the men’s 200-meter individual medley semifinals Thursday in 1:59.44, earning a spot in Friday night’s finals (7 p.m., televised on NBC). The top two swimmers in the event will clinch a spot on the Olympic team. He scratched out of the event finals on Friday morning, according to SwimSwam.com.

The 17-year-old Andrew, who took fourth in the 100 breast on Monday, had tough competition in the finals and scratched to focus on other events. The top swimmers from the 200 IM semifinals were five-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte (1:56.71) and 18-time gold medalist Michael Phelps (1:57.61).

Friday morning, Andrew is competing in the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle prelims.

Emma Reaney, a Lawrence High grad, took ninth in the women’s 200 breaststroke semifinals in a personal-best 2:26.97, missing a spot in the finals by 0.22 seconds where only the top eight qualify. It was her final event in the swim trials.

Free State High grad Courtney Caldwell won her heat in the women’s 100 free — 42nd overall — in 56.39 seconds.

Caldwell, a sophomore-to-be at North Carolina State, will swim in her final event, the 50 free, on Saturday.