Miami Swimmers Conclude Day One at OSU Invitational
Dec. 4, 2009
Columbus, Ohio – Annika Saarnak collected a bronze medal in the 50-yard freestyle, as the University of Miami swimmers concluded the opening day of the Ohio State Invitational on Friday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion Columbus, Ohio. The event runs through Sunday, December 6.
Miami competed in several events on the opening day of the annual event, taking part in two relays–including the 200-yard freestyle relay. The `Canes turned in several personal- and season-best times in an event generally producing such high marks in the past for UM.
Annika Saarnak, a junior from Puhaleda, Estonia, finished the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.27–a personal-best performance in the event. Earlier in the day, she finished the preliminaries with a time of 23.34.
In the 200 free relay, the Hurricanes posted a fifth place time of 1:35.35 behind the team of Annika Saarnak, Lauren Jacoby, Hannah Kling and Kayla Smith.
Deidre Novotny, a junior from palm Harbor, Fla., won the consolation finals of the 200 individual medley, touching the wall at 2:04.84. For Novotny, the time was a season-best in the 200 IM. She finished the event ninth overall, while freshman Christine Anderson (Chattanooga, Tenn.) finished 13th overall with a time of 2:05.00–a personal-best mark for her.
“The girls swam very well today,” announced UM head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas. “We had a lot of breakthrough swims for a lot of ladies. Today wasn’t even supposed to be a strong day for us, but everyone did well.”
Miami concluded the day taking part in the 400-yard medley relay, scoring a time of 3:53.81 behind the swims of Roxanne Meyer, Christine Anderson, Erin Simpson and Lauren Jacoby. The race served as the first 400 IM of the year for the `Canes.
Action continues at the OSU Invitational tomorrow with several individual races and two more relay events.
“I look forward to tomorrow and Sunday because we should get stronger as the weekend goes on,” stated Shefchunas.
For complete information on this weekend’s events/schedule and live scoring throughout the weekend, please locate your internet browser to www.OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
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.
