Saarnak Concludes European Aquatics Championships
Aug. 14, 2010
Budapest, Hungary – University of Miami senior swimmer Annika Saarnak concluded her four-event participation at the LEN European Aquatics Championships on Sat., Aug. 14, finishing the women’s 50-meter freestyle with a time of 27.14 seconds. This year’s event, hosted in Budapest, Hungary, concludes tomorrow.
Representing her home country of Estonia (officially the Republic of Estonia) – a municipality of Kärdla in Hiiu County, Saarnak finished 49th overall during the qualifying stages of the 50m freestyle. Therese Alshammar of Sweden collected the top qualifying time, touching the wall in 24.93, trailed by Dorothea Brandt (25.04) of Germany, and Francesca Halshall (25.07) of Great Britain.
Only the top 16 times advance to the semifinals, scheduled to be held later this afternoon, though being evening local time in Budapest.
Saarnak still holds the fastest time in the 100-meter freestyle for the Republic of Estonia, which she set during the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Istanbul, Turkey in December 2009. She posted a time of 54.78 seconds in the finals of that event. In yard measurement, Saarnak’s time equates to a new personal-best performance with a time of 48.90 seconds.
The European Aquatics Championships is organized by the LEN, the governing body for aquatics in Europe. Since 1999, they have included 4 aquatics disciplines: swimming (long course/50m pool), diving, synchronized swimming and open water swimming. Since 2000, they have been held biennially, in even-numbered years.
For a complete list of events and updated times and results for the LEN European Championships, please click here.
The University of Miami swimming & diving team, under the direction of fourth-year head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas, and veteran diving coach Randy Ableman, will begin fall practices later this month. All UM practices take place at the Norman A. Whitten University Center pool, located on the UM campus in Coral Gables, Fla.
A complete 2010-11 roster and schedule will be available later this month, after the completion of both from the two head coaches, respectively.
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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.
