Grace Ariola on UT Invite: “I’ve never loved swimming more” (Video)

^{Reported by Robert Gibbs.}

TEXAS HALL OF FAME INVITE

• Nov 28-Dec 1, 2018
• Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, TX
• Prelims 10am CT, Finals 6pm CT
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Schedule
• Prelims Recap

WOMEN’S 100 FREE FINAL

1. Claire Adams, Texas, 47.48
2. Marta Ciesla, USC, 47.89
3. Grace Ariola, Texas, 48.09

Just as in prelims, the Texas women took four of the top five spots. Leading the way was Claire Adams, whose winning time of 47.48 was just off of her lifetime best. Teammates Grace Ariola(48.09), Julia Cook (48.33), and Anielise Diener (48.52), swept 3rd-5th. Meanwhile, Brooke Hansenfinished 10th in 48.94, giving the Longhorns five women under 49 seconds. The combined times of the four Longhorns in the A-final is 3:13.42, which would give them the 3rd-fastest 400 free relay this season, behind only Stanford and Cal.

USC’s Marta Ciesla held on to her #2 spot from this morning, touching in 47.89 and joining Adams as the only women under 48.

Katrina Konopka and Tatum Wade of USC each shaved a tenth or two off their time from this morning, touching in 48.58 and 48.65. Wisconsin’s Emmy Sehmann took 8th in 49.15.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINAL

1. Texas, 3:09.56
2. USC, 3:11.96
3. Arizona, 3:15.42

The Longhorn women moved past Cal for the fastest time in this event this seasons, thanks to all four women splitting under 48, with three of the four at 47.3 or better. Claire Adams led off in 47.32, faster than her winning time in the individual 100 free earlier this session. Freshmen Grace Ariola and Julia Cook had the fastest two flying splits of the field, going 47.17 and 47.25, while Anelise Diener brought things home in 47.67.

USC got a 47.88 leadoff from Louise Hansson and a a 47.67 2nd leg from Tatum Wade, propelling them to to a 3:11.96 2nd-place finish that was under the NCAA ‘A’ standard.

Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson had the fastest split of any non-Longhorn, going 47.38 with a .42s reaction time, as the Badgers couldn’t quite match the Wildcats, who beat them for 3rd, 3:15.42 to 3:15.51.