EHS junior Bailey Grinter did what hadn’t been done since Edwardsville swimming great Bill Stapleton accomplished the feat in 1988.

Grinter has punched her ticket to the 2016 Olympic Time Trials in Omaha, Neb. after placing second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:03.36 at the US Swimming Speedo Regional VII Sectionals.

“Right after the race it was quiet and at first I thought I didn’t make it but then I heard my coaches and my parents cheering really loud and I knew I got it,” Grinter said.

Grinter, who entered the meet nearly a half second off the Olympic time cut, knew she had a shot at making the trials after she dropped .03 seconds off of her seed time in the prelims.

“Before the race I knew I was close and that I could do it,” Grinter said. “I knew the girl next to me had the cut so I just tried to stay with her.”

When not in the pool for the Tigers, Grinter swims for District 7 Aquatics director Bob Rettle and EHS head coach Christian Rhoten as part of the EDWY Breakers program and has for the past seven years.

“When you have a swimmer for so long, we’ve had Bailey through her whole career, to be able to guide her to that point is fulfilling as a coach,” Rettle said. “Even a year ago we really felt like Bailey was the kind of swimmer and had the talent and the work ethic to do that so to be thinking that way and then come out the other side of it and have it actually happen…it’s a really big deal and it’s a great feeling as a coach.”

The time trials are set for June 26- July 3, 2016. As for training over the next nine months, Grinter does not plan on changing much.

“I will probably train normally up until a month or so before trials and then start training more specifically for the 100 back,” Grinter said.

Grinter will become the second Edwardsville swimmer to make an appearance at the Olympic time trials. Stapleton was a member of the 1987 Indianapolis Pan Am team and the 1988 Seoul Olympic team where he finished 16th in the men’s 200 individual medley. Stapleton was 23 when he competed at the Olympics.

The 5-foot-11-inch Grinter will be just 17 when she dives in at the Centurylink Center to compete against the nation’s best swimmers.

“I’m super excited. This is such an amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to get to Omaha and see what I can do,” Grinter said. “I’ve wanted to go to the Olympics and going to the Olympic Trials is just one step closer.”