Olivia Bray Swims 4:37 500 Free, Presents Herself as a 3-Day Threat at NCAAs

2023 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 22 – Saturday, February 25, 2023
• Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center, Austin, TX
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: Texas (10x)
  • Men: Texas (26x)
• Championship Central
• Live Results
• Live Video

Olivia Bray scored 2nd in the 500 free last night behind teammate Erica Sullivan in the 500 free. This was only Bray’s 3rd time swimming the event in her collegiate career, the first being a couple weeks ago at the Sterkel Invite and the 2nd being prelims at this meet. However, Bray swam a 4:40 two weeks ago and 4:37.31 last night, well in contention to make an A-final at NCAAs next month.

Last year, Bray made 3 A-finals at NCAAs: 100 fly, 100 back, and 200 fly. However, that schedule had her swimming 5 100s in a single day (2×100 fly, 2×100 back, and the 400 medley relay) which she nor her coaches weren’t the biggest fans of. Bray had considered adding the 200 IM as her 3rd event but swam the 500 free in early February as a fun event.

Carol Capitani, Bray’s coach, said on deck last night that how she raced is how she trains, often going head-to-head with Olympic medalist and Texas post-grad Leah Smith during their Monday 200 pace sets.