Southern Illinois Dominates Relays, Wins 5 of 7 Individually at A3 Performance Invite Day 1

2023 A3 PERFORMANCE INVITATIONAL

• November 9-11, 2023
• Carbondale, IL
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results
  • Available on MeetMobile

TEAMS

• Bellarmine
• Eastern Illinois (women only)
• Indiana State (diving only)
• Southern Illinois
• Evansville
• Nebraska – Omaha
• Southern Indiana
• Valparaiso

Southern Illinois is hosting the A3 Performance Invite this weekend in Carbondale. The invite, which is the first of the mid-season invites this season, features many of the “mid major” swimming programs from around Illinois and Indiana. Bellarmine (Louisville, KY) and Nebraska – Omaha are also in attendance. Indiana State has sent only their diving crew to the meet. Eastern Illinois has only their women’s team at the meet, as the men’s program was suspended for the fall semester.

The Salukis are leading both the men’s and women’s standings handily through the first day of the meet. Day 1 featured the 200 free relay, 400 medley relay, women’s 3-meter diving, and the usual group of the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free.

SIU’s Alex Santiago won the men’s 50 free in 19.92, touching as the only swimmer under 20 seconds. Santiago was just a hair faster in prelims, where he swam a 19.91. The 50 was a phenomenal event for the Salukis, as Donat Csuvarszki came in 2nd with a 20.35, Nicolas Barrio Lanuza was 3rd at 20.53, and AJ Terry was 4th in 20.62. Csuvarszki was also faster in prelims, where he swam a 20.10.

Given that quartet of 50 freestylers, it won’t surprise to learn the SIU also won the men’s 200 free relay. Lanuza led off in 20.77, then Alex Cimera clocked a 20.22 on the 2nd leg. Santiago went 3rd, swimming a blistering 19.58, while Csuvarszki anchored in 19.59. The Sulukis made it to the finish in 1:20.16, winning the event by over 2 seconds. Terry was on the ‘B’ relay, where he anchored in 20.07. Showing more of SIU’s sprint depth, Jared Moore also split 20.11 on the on the 2nd leg of the ‘B’ relay.

SIU also won the men’s 400 medley relay handily. Moore, also a great backstroker, led that relay off in 48.86. Tiago Faleiros provided a 54.34 breast leg, Jack Khrypunov went 48.96 on fly, and Csuvarszki clocked a 43.41 on the anchor. They hit the finish in 3:15.57.

The flyer on that relay, Khrypunov, also claimed individual victory on day 1, taking the men’s 200 IM in 1:49.17. Using his speed to his advantage, Khrypunov was out fast, splitting 49.88 on the opening 100 thanks to a 23.31 on fly and a 26.57 on back. That’s not to say he wasn’t also excellent on the back half, where he split 31.70 on breast and 27.59 on free, which combined for a 58.29 on the 2nd 100.

Southern Illinois’ Beatriz Padron Salazar put on a show in the women’s 500 free, winning the event in 4:54.90. She led a pair of her Saluki teammates, Karen Rodrigues Cardenas and Fernanda Sanchez Gongora, both of whom went 4:57s. Cardenas clocked a 4:57.27 for 2nd, while Gongora was 4:57.79 for 3rd. Omaha’s Hailey Matthews was the only other swimmer in the field under 5:00, taking 4th in 4:58.54.

SIU’s Olivia Herron was dominant in the women’s 200 IM, swimming a 2:01.28 to win the event by over 3 seconds. She swam a very well-rounded race, splitting 26.70 on fly, then 31.37 on back, followed by a 33.65 breast split, and a 29.56 anchor.

Herron helped the Salukis to another decisive victory in the women’s 400 medley relay at the end of the finals session. Celia Pulido got the team out to a great start with a 53.18 on the back leg, then Herron clocked a 1:01.82 on breast leg. Jasmine Rau put up a 55.29 fly split, while Zaria Terry anchored in 52.14, putting SIU into the finish in 3:42.43.

The host team won the women’s 200 free relay convincingly as well. Terry led that squad off in 23.66 and was followed by Masha Zhukova (22.82), Ava Rines (23.28), and Pulido (22.62) respectively. They hit the finish in 1:32.38.

The only swimming event of the day not won by a Saluki was the women’s 50 free, where Omaha’s Payton Easley clocked a 23.33 to win.

OTHER EVENT WINNERS

• Men’s 500 free: Tomas Peciar (SIU) – 4:29.78
• Women’s 3-meter diving: Zoe Smith (Indiana State) – 267.20

TEAM SCORES THRU DAY ONE:

MEN:

1. Southern Illinois – 289
2. Omaha – 197
3. Evansville – 171
4. Southern Indiana – 131
5. Bellarmine – 112
6. Valparaiso – 68

WOMEN:

1. Southern Illinois – 361.5
2. Omaha – 201
3. Evansville – 114.5
4. Eastern Illinois – 101.5
5. Southern Indiana – 81
6. Bellarmine – 80.5
7. Valparaiso – 58