The first person Kylie Gamelier called was Stacie Safritt.

The two Seneca Valley High School graduates are best friends and have been linked together since they could first dog paddle in a pool.

And they are linked again. Both have punched their tickets for the biggest swim meet of the year at the Olympic Trials next week in Omaha, Neb.

Safritt, a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, qualified in the 50 meter freestyle for the Olympic Trials two weeks ago in Omaha. Gamelier barely missed qualifying in the 100 meter breast stroke at the same meet.

"I didn't get a chance to see her swim her 50," Gamelier said. "I was happy for her when she qualified, but I wanted to go so bad."

Safritt encouraged Gamelier to keep trying, and she got her last chance Saturday at Cleveland State University.

Gamelier left little doubt.

Her time of 1 minute, 11.36 second set a University of Toledo, a meet and the Allegheny MountainSwimming record.

Gamelier just shrugged off her record-setting day. It was qualifying for the Olympic Trials that made her day.

And she had to call Safritt.

"She was really excited," Safritt said. "I was really excited."

Neither swimmer thought the Olympic Trials were within the realm of possibility when the season started.

Safritt wasn't sure she would make it until she swam the meet of her life in Omaha.

She cut a full second off her best time in the 50 freestyle to qualify for the trials.

"It kind of just happened," Safritt said.

Gamelier didn't think it was possible, either, until her times started getting faster and faster.

She qualified in her first swim of the morning Saturday.

When she crawled out of the pool and knew she was heading back to Omaha, the feeling overwhelmed her.

"Well," Gamelier says, pausing to swim after an elusive adjective. "Awesome, I guess. It was one of the best feelings I've ever had."

Setting records and winning is nothing new for either swimmer.

As senior members of the Seneca Valley swimming team, the two terrorized the WPIAL. Safritt won the WPIAL title in the 50 and 100 freestyle and won two more gold medals as a member of the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay.

Gamelier won the WPIAL championship in the 100 breaststroke and teamed with Safritt for the 400 freestyle relay title.

Sharing a trip to the Olympic Trials is special to both of them.

"It's really exciting to share this experience with my best friend," Safritt said.

Unfortunately, the two will see little of each other in Omaha.

Gamelier competes June 30, while Safritt must wait until July 6 to get into the pool. Safritt won't even make the trip to Nebraska until July 3.

"We may overlap by a day," Safritt said. "That's the only sad part."

Both know the competition in Omaha will be fierce.

Neither has designs on making the Olympic team. But, to them, that matters little.

Just the chance is all they were after.

"I never thought I would be going to the Olympic trials," Gamelier said. "There are going to be so many amazing swimmers in the water there. It's going to be a thrill just to watch and be able to see it up close, and then get a chance to get in the water and compete against them. It's a nice way to wrap up a senior year."