INDIANAPOLIS (WCMH) — Former Buckeye Hunter Armstrong got a step closer to clinching his spot on the United States Olympic team after a second-place finish in the final of the men’s 100-meter backstroke on Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, swimming a time of 52.72 seconds.

Ryan Murphy won the event with a time of 52.22, the fastest time in the world this year, to secure his spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Armstrong will likely still qualify to swim in the event in Paris but it won’t be official until the team is finalized later this week.

Armstrong was able to qualify for Monday night’s final despite slipping at the start of his semifinal heat on Sunday night, recovering from last place to finish second.

The Dover, Ohio native is set to make his second Olympic appearance after swimming with Team USA at the Tokyo games in 2021, where he won gold as a member of the 4×100 meter medley relay. Armstrong is the defending world champion in the 100-meter backstroke and looks to win his first individual gold in Paris.

Armstrong is also set to compete in the men’s 100-meter freestyle tomorrow and the men’s 50-meter freestyle later in the week.