OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Matt Grevers spent the last two years trying to regain the form that carried him to a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the Beijing Olympics.

He didn't qualify for last year's world championships and 2010 was a lost year, too. He buried himself in training, lifting weights, running, and other dry land workouts.

"You think if you work hard that you're going to be the best, the harder you work the better results you're going to get, and that's not the case," he said Wednesday night.

"It's taken me until I'm 27 that you can hit your head against the wall as much as you want, but until you start to think about things, that's when it's going to work, so I'm done hitting my head against the wall."

Everything came together for Grevers in the 100 back at trials. He won in 52.08 seconds to make his second straight Olympics. His time missed Aaron Peirsol's world record by 14-hundreths of a second.

"Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, they know they're going to make it," he said. "I didn't."

The 6-foot-8 swimmer got out of the pool and high-fived his family and friends, pumped his arms and caught sight of giant cutouts of his head bobbing in the stands.

"They're almost crying, they're so excited," he said about his Dutch parents, sister, brother-in-law and coaches.

Grevers received his medal from Adolf Kiefer, who like Grevers is from Chicago and was the first man to swim the 100 back in under a minute. It was Kiefer's 94th birthday.

"He said, 'It was a great race. You have more in you, and I believe you'll go faster in London,'" said Grevers, who let Kiefer kiss his medal. "He's a legend in swimming. He gets to do what he wants to do."

Grevers had mixed emotions after his win, when he watched his fiancé Annie Chandler finish fifth in the 100 breaststroke final.

"It's sad because that was probably her last 100 breaststroke ever, and that was my fastest 100 backstroke ever. It's kind of a new beginning for me and an end of a chapter for her," he said. "She is happy for me and motivated, but it's tough because it dampens the mood a little bit."

Chandler watched Grevers' victory on TV near the warm-up pool before going on deck for her race.

"I was elated," he said. "That's something he's been striving for and he has lofty goals. My heart's always in it with him."

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MAKING THE TEAM: Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte went 1-2 in the 200 freestyle final.

In this race, it was just as good to finish third and fourth.

Ricky Berens, who was third, and fourth-place Conor Dwyer earned spots in the relay pool for the London Games. Berens, who dates breaststroker Rebecca Soni, is headed to his second Olympics. He earned a gold medal in Beijing on the 800 freestyle relay.

Dwyer was already on his first Olympic team, having finished second in the 400 free on Monday.

Fifth-place finisher Matt McLean and Charlie Houchin, who was sixth, are likely to be added to the team later.

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TEARING IT UP: Allison Schmitt continues to tear up the pool at the trials.

The 22-year-old who trains with Michael Phelps in Baltimore won the 400 freestyle and is the favorite in the 200 free on Thursday night.

Four years ago, Schmitt was on the Olympic team and earned a bronze medal as part of the 800 free relay. She finished ninth in the 200 free in Beijing, just missing the final by one spot.

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WILDFIRE WORRIES: At least three officials from USA Swimming have returned to Colorado Springs because of the raging wildfire that has displaced more than 30,000 people.

The national governing body is based in the Colorado city. While the headquarters were not in imminent danger, many staffers were keeping track of the developments, worried about the fate of their homes and family members while the U.S. Olympic swimming trials are being held in Omaha.

Chuck Wielgus, executive director of USA Swimming, said all officials working at the trials were told they could return home if needed. The U.S. Olympic Committee pledged to send in replacement officials if it became necessary to make sure the meet continued to run smoothly.

"We are committed to running an amazing event here in Omaha and are working hard to ensure that all of the athletes competing at the Olympic Trials have a great experience," Wielgus said in a statement. "The USOC has offered to help relieve any USA Swimming staff that needs to leave Omaha and has also offered refuge at the Olympic Training Center for any of our staffers that have been evacuated from their homes."