Submitted photo/Stephen Mally of Iowa Athletics: Former Fort Dodge all-stater Andrew Fierke was a junior swimmer for the Iowa Hawkeyes this past season.

IOWA CITY — Chalk one up for spontaneity.

Former Fort Dodge all-state swimmer Andrew Fierke relied his own instincts and the prescient advice of his coaches last Thursday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center on the campus of the University of Iowa. The Hawkeye swimmer then delivered a performance that officially qualified him for the upcoming United States Olympic Team Trials.

The 20-year-old Fierke recorded a time of 1:03.03 in the 100-meter breaststroke, which puts him in the “Wave 1” field of this Saturday’s event at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. The next step for those who advance will be the “Wave 2” round, which is June 13-20.

The 2018 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate hadn’t even entertained the idea of trying to make it in the 100 breast until very recently.

“My coach suggested it and I signed up on a whim, more or less,” said Fierke, a Mechanical Engineering major who completed his junior season with Iowa in March. “I had a time that was close at (the David) Armbruster (Open earlier in May, where Fierke recorded a 1:05.01 to win), and I talked to a few people I trusted, including Nate (Mundt, the assistant director, aquatics and head coach of the IFLY Swim Club in Iowa City). I knew (the opportunity) was coming up, so I got ready for it and just swam as hard as I could.

“When I hit (the time), I felt great. It was a pretty big accomplishment for me.”

Fierke competed with other swimmers in front of coaches and officials at the CRWC, with a make-or-break session to clear the Olympic Trials cut-off mark.

“I hadn’t swam the breast competitively in two years,” said Fierke, who was a 200 and 500 freestyle regular in the Hawkeye lineup earlier this spring. “So I’m spending (this week) brushing up on the stroke more and fixing or tweaking what I need to in order to be prepared physically.

“Mentally, I have to treat this like any other meet. I can’t get in my own head too much or stress out over it. It’s important to not let the moment get too big.”

Fierke would need a 1:01.18 or lower to move into the next round.

“It would be a really impressive time, but I believe in myself,” Fierke said. “A lot depends on the preparation this week. I have to do all of the little things right and refresh (the mechanics of the stroke itself).”

This was the final season for the storied Hawkeye men’s program, which was cut from the athletic department last August after over 100 years of competitive swimming. Fierke will be representing ACAC/Fort Dodge in Omaha, “with a shout-out to the University of Iowa swim team.”

“I’ve heard from a lot of my teammates, fans and supporters of the program (since last Thursday),” said Fierke, who plans on finishing up his degree at Iowa before moving on and competing at a different school. “We’re a close group. We still communicate now, especially after everything that’s happened (in the last 10 months). I’m thankful for the memories I was able to share with (fellow Hawkeyes through the years). I’m doing this for them.”

The men’s 100 breaststroke will be Event 12 on Saturday in Omaha. The preliminary round begins at 10 a.m., with the finals starting at 7 p.m.