CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Davis Tarwater didn't qualify for the London Games, yet Tuesday morning he joined seven other swimmers from North Carolina at Olympic practice.
The first thing Tarwarter did when he got to the pool in Omaha, Neb., was to seek out Michael Phelps.
Tarwater says he told Phelps, "I owe you dinner."
Indeed, he does.
Phelps' decision to pull out of the 200-meter freestyle in the upcoming London Games opened spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the 28-year-old Tarwater, who'd retired Sunday night after failing to make the team in three events.
Tarwater, who'll swim the 4x800-meter relay, joins a contingent with North Carolina ties heading to London: Cullen Jones, Nick Thoman, Micah Lawrence, Kara Lynn Joyce, Ricky Berens, Charlie Houchin and Lauren Purdue all qualified for the Olympics.
