PHOENIX — Arizona has a new Olympian!
Former Higley High School swimmer Keaton Jones is headed to Paris after finishing second in the men's 200 backstroke at the US Swimming Olympic Trials in Indianapolis on Thursday behind one of the greatest backstrokers of all time, Ryan Murphy.
High up in the stands at Lucas Oil Stadium, in the midst of the largest crowd to ever watch a swim meet (at least until 2028), Jones' parents, Randy and Elizabeth, were in the midst of one of the most incredible moments of their lives.
"I was just trying to make sure that you know, I didn't have a heart attack in the stands at trials," Randy Jones said.
"I have to tell you, we were relieved that no one, like none of the media knows who we are," Elizabeth Jones added. "There's no video of us freaking out... I'm pretty sure we were hugging everyone sitting around us."
That was how the Jones family described the moment they saw their son finish with a time of 1:54.61, qualifying for the Olympics.
But even seeing the results was not enough for Randy and Elizabeth to believe that 19-year-old Keaton was headed to the Olympics.
"It was too close. We didn't know until we looked up at the at the screen when it flashed the two next to his name like we had, because from the angle where our seats were, it was too tight to call," Elizabeth Jones said. "So we didn't know until we saw the two and then I think we were all still like, are we sure? Like, yeah, is everybody positive that happened?"
"I looked to verify the two next to his name probably four or five times," Randy Jones said. "And it took probably a solid minute for us to actually realize the time that he'd gone."
And it was real. The former Higley Knight and current Cal Golden Bear had touched the wall just 17 hundredths of a second ahead of Jack Aikins, who finished in third place and made Team USA.
"I think it's a little surreal. I think we're all a little in shock still," Elizabeth Jones said. "We knew going in that he had put in the work and the training and I think we were pretty confident he can make it through the rounds... And I don't think we ever really thought, not that he wasn't capable of making the team but that it might not necessarily be in the cards this time. And the fact that we're here, I think we're all still shocked. And we're so proud of him and all of his hard work."
After the race, the Jones family, clad in "Backstroking Bears" jerseys designed by Elizabeth and worn for good luck, ran down from their seats to meet Keaton.
"We kind of asked the security people, we're like, that's our kid, like, can we go and they were like, yep, they let us and the three of us, our daughter, we all ran up and like basically tackled him," Elizabeth Jones said. "So we kind of had this big moment for like the four of us, our family. And it was really beautiful to see him. And I think it finally hit him and he cried, and he got really emotional, because it was like, you know, like, he's been in it. And he sacrifices a lot. They all do. This is such a hard sport. And he's been grinding for so long. And to see all of that hard work and effort come into this big moment is, you know, it's like the pinnacle."
"It's crazy. I mean, I think this, I think this is definitely the Super Bowl of swimming, you know, for lack of better words," Randy Jones added. "Yeah, the Olympics are great. They're massive, you get to represent your country. It's a huge accomplishment."
Seeing Keaton qualify for the Olympics was made even more surreal for the family as just a year ago, Keaton was still at home after graduating high school.
"It's been wild. Like we still look at him as a little kid, because like it, he only left the house, you know, less than a year ago, and we still see him pretty regularly," Elizabeth Jones said. "I talk to him on the phone every day. We're a really close family. And I guess he still seems like our, our little boy. And that's the thing, like he's this big, huge swimmer, and he's so talented. But when he's at home, he's just a regular kid."
But the craziest moment for the family was on Friday, when the family went to lunch in Indianapolis.
"We took him to lunch and somebody asked for his autograph," Elizabeth Jones said. "And we were, we were kind of like, Wait, why do they want his autograph? We're kind of stunned. Because he's just like our 19-year-old boy, you know?"
But soon, that 19-year-old boy will take to swimming's biggest stage at the Centre Aquatique Olympique in Saint-Denis, France, to compete for an Olympic medal. And when Keaton jumps in the pool to prepare for his first Olympic race, he will have a large group cheering him on. However, that group still has to buy their plane tickets.
"There's no plans! I felt like we didn't want to jinx it to even think that (qualifying for the Olympics) was a possibility," Elizabeth Jones said. "So we are, I think (Friday), we have to have a serious conversation about what that looks like, and how we can all get there. But the plan is that we're obviously going, we're taking our daughter, my mom is going, both my brothers, I think we have a contingent of about like, 15 and we're gonna make it happen. We're gonna go because this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing."
And now, as they prepare to watch their son in Paris, the Jones are thankful for everyone who helped him get to this point.
"We're always supporting Cal because we love that school, we love that program," Elizabeth Jones said. "He's, we've been really lucky that we have a group of people around us that have been so supportive of us and Keaton, like Higley High School, his club team, Swim Neptune, his first major coach Alex Popa, she was like the first one to ever believe in him.
"And he wouldn't be where he is without all of these people and all of our family and friends that have supported him for so long. And then on top of that, we got really lucky to come into the Cal Bear family, and they have just welcomed us and been so amazing. And the swimmers and the parents and the staff, like everything, they have taken care of him so well and he couldn't be here without all of those things lining up."
Qualifying heats and the semifinals for the men's 200-meter backstroke will take place on July 31. The final will be held on August 1.
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