OMAHA, Neb. — One by one, some of America’s biggest swimming stars are going down at the Olympic trials.

First, Ryan Lochte. Then, Missy Franklin.

Lochte, an 11-time Olympic medalist but slowed by a groin injury, missed out on his second chance to make the team in an individual event with a fourth-place finish in the 200-meter freestyle. There was some consolation: Lochte at least clinched a spot in the 800 relay, so he’ll be in Rio.

Franklin can’t say that yet. Franklin, a star of the 2012 London Games, struggled to a seventh-place finish in the 100 backstroke, denying her a chance to defend the gold medal she won four years ago.

Racing just 23 minutes after qualifying for the final of the 200 free, Franklin, 21, couldn’t pull off the grueling double. She finished nearly a body length behind winner Olivia Smoliga and runner-up Kathleen Baker, who will represent the U.S. in what was Franklin’s signature event.

The only swimmer to finish behind Franklin was 12-time gold medalist Natalie Coughlin. The 33-year-old likely missed out on her best chance to make the team in an individual event, though there’s a chance she could still qualify in a relay.

In the men’s 200 free, Lochte was second at the final turn but couldn’t hold on, either. Townley Haas surged to the victory, followed by Conor Dwyer.

“I’m just happy that I’m going to Rio,” Lochte said. “You can never go in knowing that you’re going to make the team, just because the U.S. is one of the hardest countries to make the Olympic team.”

For good measure, another stalwart of the 2012 U.S. team failed to qualify for Rio. Matt Grevers, the defending Olympic gold medalist in the men’s 100 backstroke, finished third behind Ryan Murphy and David Plummer.

Yet another Olympic gold medalist, Jessica Hardy, finished sixth in the 100 breast stroke to also miss out on the U.S. team. Lilly King and Katie Meili were 1-2 in the final, extending what has become a definite changing of the guard in Omaha.

It’s not a total makeover.

Katie Ledecky is living up to her staggering expectations, and the most decorated Olympian of them all, Michael Phelps, looked as dominant as ever in his first event of the trials.

Ledecky was easily the top qualifier in the semifinals of the 200 free, more than a second ahead of everyone else, as she looks to add a second event to her Rio schedule. She already won the 400 free, will be an overwhelming favorite in the 800 free and also entered the 100 free.

Then there’s Phelps, who already has 18 golds and 22 medals overall, and came out of retirement seeking to win a few more before calling it quits again.

He was more than a second ahead of the next-fastest swimmer in the semifinals of the 200 butterfly, powering through the water with ease.

Phelps couldn’t help but notice all the newcomers on the U.S. team – as many as 17 likely claiming spots through the first three days of the meet.

“I don’t even know half of them,” he said. “It’s exciting to have new faces, where people are really pumped to come up in the sport. That’s a good thing to see as I’m on my way out.”

Three swimmers with Maine connections competed earlier but failed to reach the finals: James Wells, a four-time state champion at Morse High, in the 100 backstroke; and Emma Waddell of Bath and Caitlyn Tycz of Bath in the 100 butterfly.

RUGBY: Pairings are set for the first Olympic rugby competition in 92 years with the draw placing favorites New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa in different groups in the men’s tournament.

Group A of the men’s tournament is made up of Fiji, the United States, Argentina and Brazil. Group B has South Africa, Australia, France and Spain. New Zealand leads group C, which also includes Britain, Kenya and Japan.

The women’s tournament also will be split into three groups. Group A has Australia, the United States, Fiji and Colombia. Group B includes New Zealand, France, Spain and Kenya. Brazil will be in group C with Britain, Canada and Japan.

TELEVISION: NBCUniversal’s TV and digital networks will show a record 6,755 hours of action. The previous high was 5,535 hours from the 2012 London Games.

The main NBC network will broadcast more than 260 hours, including the opening and closing ceremonies, and extensive coverage of swimming, gymnastics and track and field.

AUSTRALIA: Hurdles gold medalist Sally Pearson reportedly withdrew because of a hamstring injury.

The Herald Sun newspaper and other Australian media reported that Pearson, the 100-meter hurdles Olympic champion in London four years ago and silver medalist at Beijing in 2008, injured her hamstring while training on Australia’s Gold Coast.

SOCCER: The U.S. women’s national team will have a new home uniform this summer at the Olympics.

The white Nike uniforms feature a red stripe down the right side of the jersey and shorts, with a blue stripe down the left side. Silver threads run through the sleeves. The uniform includes socks that fade from white to blue at the foot.

The U.S. Soccer crest is replaced with a blue “USA” to conform with Olympic regulations.

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