This name should sound familiar to you. Flach is a former All-Met swimmer and has enjoyed a very successful post-high school career at collegiate and national swim meets, with several top ten finishes, including a ninth place finish in the 200 butterfly at the 2011 ConocoPhillips National Championship. Flach took an Olympic redshirt this year to focus on training and has not competed for his the University of South Carolina this season. He lives and trains in Columbia, S.C.
(photo provided by the University of South Carolina Athletic Department)
Birthdate: 4/30/1991
Place of Birth: Falls Church, Va.
Hometown: Annandale, Va.
College: University of South Carolina
Class: Junior
Height: 6-0
Event(s): Freestyle, Butterfly
Nickname: “Flach Attack”
College major: Business Management
Club Team: The FISH, 2000-2009
High School: Bishop O'Connell, 2006-2009
Summer League: Woodley Warriors (NVSL), 1997-2009
Accolades:
2011 All-American (500 freestyle)
2011 SEC Bronze Medalist (500 freestyle)
Nov. 24, 2010 – Counsilman Hunsaker National Swimmer of the Week
2010 SEC Bronze Medalist (500 freestyle)
2010 All-SEC Freshman Team
2011-2012 Rank/Olympic Trials Qualifying Times:
#18 200m butterfly – 1:59.20 (2011 Conoco Phillips National C
hampionships)
#23 400m freestyle – 3:53.52 (2011 Conoco Phillips National Championships)
#45 200m freestyle – 1:50.66 (2011 Conoco Phillips National Championships)
#118 100m butterfly – 55.20 (2011 Nationals TT)
#163 100m freestyle – 51.44 (2011 Nationals TT)
(provided by University of South Carolina Athletic Department)
Family:
Parents: Michael, Theresa
Sisters: Clare, Emily, Katie, Anna
Favorite part about being a Gamecock?
The tremendous school spirit of the student body and the incredible support of the athletic department towards their student-athletes.
When did you start swimming competitively? What was your first team?
I was about six years old when I started swimming for the Woodley Warriors.
Person you would most like to race?
Erik Vendt (earned gold medal in 2008 as a part of Team USA's 4×200 freestyle relay; 2000 & 2004 silver medalist in 400 individual medley)
Do you have any pre-meet, pre-race or meet-day rituals or habits you must go through?
Visualize my race, warm up twice, listen to music and stretch behind the blocks.
Favorite song?
It changes a lot, but right now its Young The Giant- My Body.
Favorite food(s)?
Italian.
What is one thing most people don't know about you?
I like to golf and surf when I get the chance.
We will be posting training updates from Flach starting next week. Follow Michael on Twitter @mikeflach. Check back tomorrow to read another athlete profile.
Tags: Behind the Blocks, Michael Flach
Nice to see Michael doing well and following his dream. Best of luck to him.I am curious though, isn’t there a waver during an Olympic year that allows a swimmer to swim for his college team and not take classes thereby allowing time for training and recovery. I think that is the route Feigen took at UT. Did Michael consider that?