US Olympic Swimming Trials 2012: Can 200 Fly Champ Cammile Adams Win in London?

Cammile Adams came through huge in the women's 200-meter butterfly final at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Nebraska on Friday night, earning a berth on the 2012 U.S. Olympic swimming team that's heading to London this summer.

Adams took first place by more than a second, finishing in a time of 2 minutes, 6.52 seconds. Meanwhile second-place finisher Kathleen Hersey posted a time of 2:07.72. 

The impressive outing by Adams begs the question heading into this summer's Olympic Games: Can Cammile Adams win in London?

The Case Against Adams

The 20-year-old Texas A&M student has never tasted Olympic competition, and her winning time on Friday night was nearly 1 1/2 seconds off the American record set by Mary Mohler in July 2009 (2:04.14).

Adams' time was almost five seconds off the world record set in the event by China's Liu Zige. Liu took home gold in the women's 200 fly at the 2008 Beijing Games and will certainly be the favorite to take home top honors in the event in London.

Adams would have to swim a flawless race under and need a below-average effort from Liu this summer in order to seriously threaten the world record-holder, who is just 23 years old heading into her second Olympic Games.

Liu's Chinese teammate Jiao Liuyang and Australian Jessicah Schipper will also be among the biggest challengers in the 200 fly. Jiao won silver in Beijing four years ago, while Schipper won bronze. 

The Case For Adams

Cammile Adams will be riding a wave of momentum into the pool at London this summer (no pun intended) after topping the best American female butterfly swimmers in Omaha on Friday night. The fact that she is a relative unknown and took the trials by surprise will only benefit her on the international stage.

Although pressure is unavoidable at the Summer Olympics, Adams will enter with low expectations. Her winning time on Friday night didn't exactly send shock waves across the globe, which will allow her to mature at her own pace in London.

Outside of the lack of intense pressure to perform, Adams has the physical ability to compete and realistically challenge at the Olympic level. You don't win the U.S. women's 200 fly by accident.

Regardless of what you or I make of Cammile Adams after her win on Friday night in Omaha, she is headed to London this summer to represent the Stars and Stripes.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more reaction to the 2012 London Summer Olympics.