Saarnak Finishes Up at FINA World Championships
July 30, 2009
Complete Prelims Results in PDF Format 
Rome, Italy – University of Miami sophomore swimmer Annika Saarnak took part in Thursday’s 100-meter freestyle as part of the FINA World Championships at the Stadio del Nuoto in Italy’s capital city of Rome. Saarnak concluded her run at this year’s championships following the preliminary round.
Saarnak, competing for her home country of Estonia, placed 66th out of more than 150 competitors, turning in a time of 57.58 seconds. Her 100m time turned in was a personal-best in a long course event. Two days prior, she produced a time of 2:05.15 in the 200m freestyle, also a personal-best performance.
Fellow Estonia native Elina Partoka–a member of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, finished 56th with a time of 56.77 seconds as part of Thursday’s prelims. Saarnak and Partoka were the only two swimmers representing the Republic of Estonia–a small country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by the Russian Federation.
Saarnak, coming off a mild sickness following the weekend, seemed to handle the enthusiasm and energy of her first world championship event with ease despite admitting to UM swimming head coach Christie Shefchunas that she was a bit nervous. The Puhaleda, Estonia native finished just 4.38 seconds off the qualifying time in the event. In the process, she became Shefchunas’ first-ever UM student-athlete to swim in a world championship sanctioned event.
“Obviously, it was really exciting to have Annika in the World Championships, and it’s going to do wonders for our team,” stated Shefchunas. “With her having experienced that high-level of competition, she’s going to bring that back and expect that same high-level of commitment and results from herself from now on.”
During the 2008-09 season, Saarnak posted 19 of the Hurricanes’ Top 10 season times in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events. She held the top spot in each of the 50-, 100- and 200-freestyle events, respectively.
Saarnak was also a part of 16 of Miami’s Top 10 season-best performances in the 200-, 400- and 800 yard freestyle relays. Alongside teammates Britta Boesing, Lauren Jacoby and Ryann Labreche, she helped to establish a new school record for the Hurricanes 800 free relay squad during the Atlantic Coast Conference Swimming & Diving Championships in College Park, Md.
The FINA World Championships or “World Aquatics Championships” are the World Championships for aquatic sports: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo. The Championships are run by FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation). In the pool, swimming events are contested in a 50-meter, or “long course” pool.
The event was first held in 1973, and is now held every two years. From 1978-1998, the World Championships were held every four years, in the even years between Summer Olympic years. From 2001 on, the World Championships has been held every two years, in the off years.
For more information on the University of Miami Swimming & Diving team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, results and information regarding the Hurricanes Swimming & Diving program.
