Following the 2016 Women’s Big Ten Championships, the University of Michigan hosted a long course time trial at their home pool on Sunday to give swimmers an opportunity to use their taper to qualify for Olympic Trials or better their seed times. Overall, three swimmers achieved new standards, and some professionals on scene put together a couple of mid-training races, as well.
Penn State’s Megan Wujciak started things off with a great swim in the 200 IM, cutting more than seven seconds off her previous best to finish in 2:19.23. Her final time was around a half-second off the Trials standard of 2:18.69, but that swim puts her in position to qualify before Omaha.
The first cut of the day came a few events later from sophomore Mary Warren of Northwestern, who dropped a full second in the 50 free to finish in 26.06, just under the 26.19 standard.
Nittany Lion Alyson Ackman tried her hand at the 200 free, finishing in 2:01.15, well under the Olympic Trials standard, but off her best of 1:59.05 from last summer. On the men’s side, Club Wolverine professionals Justin Glanda and Michael Wynalda finished in 1:51.48 and 1:54.82.
Three swimmers got under the Trials cut in the women’s 100 breast, led by Ackman’s teammate and Mexican national Melissa Rodriguez, who finished in 1:10.43. Julianne Kurke of Northwestern, the top American in the field, registered her first Trials cut with a 1:10.81.
The host Wolverines got in on the action when Catie DeLoof cut 1.3 seconds off her best to finish the 100 back in 1:03.39, hitting the Trials standard right on the nose.
Other professional swims included Israeli Olympian and former Cal Bear All-American Guy Barnea, who posted a 54.48 in the 100 fly and 56.17 in the 100 backstroke. Kyle Whitaker made an appearance, putting together a respectable 2:02.71 in the 200 IM.
Club Wolverine swimmers also dueled in the sprint freestyles and 200 fly. Miguel Ortiz edged Geoff Cheah in both sprint freestyles, touching in 22.49 to Cheah’s 22.90 in the 50, and 49.80 to 50.12 in the 100 free. Michael Klueh bettered former South Carolina All-American Michael Flach, 2:00.99, to 2:03.91.
On the women’s side, Emily Brunemann clocked an 8:51.06 in the 800 freestyle.
Alex Bilunas from the University of Nebraska also qualified in the 50M Freestyle with a time of 26.18.
Northwestern’s Melissa Postoll and Rutgers’s Vera Koprivova were both under the trials cut in the women’s 200 backstroke as well.
Correct. However, both already had the cut, and Koprivova is from the Czech Republic.