DURHAM, N.C. – Four members of the Duke swimming and diving program are headed to the West Coast to compete in the 2015 AT&T Winter National Championships Thursday through Saturday in Federal Way, Wash. On the line are berths to various countries’ Olympic Trials as well as the 2016 Olympic Games.
Preliminary sessions begin at 12 p.m. ET each day followed by finals at 9 p.m. ET at the Weyerhauser King County Aquatic Center.
The long course meet represents one of few remaining opportunities for swimmers to race at the 50-meter distance prior to 2016 Olympic Trials.
Sophomore Leah Goldman is slated to compete in four events, including Friday’s 100-meter butterfly, in which she is seeded 28th at 1:00.68. She will also take to the water in the 200-meter individual medley, 100-meter breaststroke and 100-meter freestyle. Duke’s program record holder in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley, Goldman has already collected U.S. Olympic Trials cuts in the 100-meter butterfly and the 200-meter individual medley.
Classmate Isabella Paez will step up to the blocks looking to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The butterfly specialist attended high school in Medley, Fla., but is a native of Caracas, Venezuela and represented her home country over the summer at the Pan American Games. Venezuela does not hold an Olympic Trials meet, meaning Paez will have to hit particular time standards to earn a trip to Rio.
Paez is seeded 16th in Saturday’s 200-meter butterfly (2:12.63) and 24th at the shorter distance (1:00.58).
The Blue Devils’ top sprinter on the men’s side, junior James Peek heads to Federal Way with a pair of British Olympic Trials cuts in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle. The Forest Row, Sussex, England native is seeded 26th in the 50-meter freestyle (22.75) and 51st at the longer distance (50.50), and could also compete in the 100-meter backstroke.
Freshman Yusuke Legard will join the Duke contingent on the West Coast, competing in the 100-meter freestyle. A native of Weybridge, Surrey, United Kingdom, Legard will also take part in 50 and 200-meter time trials, and will be in search of British Trials cuts in all three sprint events.
Swimming news courtesy of Duke Swimming & Diving.