Magnuson Misses Olympics by Fraction of a Second

was painfully close to earning a spot to compete in her second Olympic games on Monday night. But close just wasn't good enough.

The 26-year-old native and two-time silver medalist missed the mark by less than one second. She finished third in the 50-meter freestyle finals behind Jessica Hardy, 24.50 seconds and Kara Lynn Joyce, who had a time of 24.73 seconds. Magnuson touched the wall at 24.78 seconds—0.05 or five hundredths of a second behind a spot on the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics Swim Team, according to U.S. Swimming time trials results.

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"I had one off stroke in there," Magnuson told a freelancer for sports media website GoVolsXtra. "You know maybe that was it. Maybe that cost me. That's the 50 for you. It was a lot of fun and it was a great way to end up my meet."

Magnuson entered the event with the second-fastest qualifying time of 24.72, according to trials heat sheets. During the first half of her race, she was in the lead. But it often all boils down to a fingertip, or in the latest case, maybe a fingernail. Magnuson made mention of likely close races when

"Olympic trials, when it comes down to it, are a little bit of a crap shoot," she said. "It comes down to touches and hundredths of a second."

Magnuson said she wasn't planning to continue her professional swimming career if she didn't make the upcoming team. We'll be following up with her soon to debrief.

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