IRVINE, Calif. - UC San Diego had several swimmers competing at the Speedo Grand Challenge this past weekend with two Tritons posting U.S. Olympic Team Trials qualifying marks during the prestigious event in Orange County.
Senior Alex Henley won the 200 backstroke, swimming a 2:17.20, .31 faster than the second-place finisher. The three-time national champion had a solid all-around meet, placing eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:04.70) and ninth in the 400 individual medley (4:55.58). Henley's time in the 400 IM was fast enough to qualify her for this summer's Olympic Trials. In July of 2011, she qualified in the 200 backstroke.
Freshman standout Dane Stassi will also be joining the UCSD contingent at the Olympic Trials. He clocked a qualifying time of 2:02.00 in the 200 butterfly, the third-fastest swim in the prelims. Stassi placed second in the 100 fly, swimming a 55.42 in the finals.
Also competing for UCSD at the Speedo event were Emily Adamczyk (11th/200 breaststroke/2:36.76), Matt Herman (4th/1500 freestyle/15:59.70), Jacob Lammott (8th/200 breaststroke/2:22.18 and 13th/100 breaststroke/1:05.43), Alex Merrill (13th/200 freestyle/1:55.11) and Adam Rice (5th/200 individual medley/2:06.74).
UCSD currently has an all-time high six swimmers qualified in eight events for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, including Adamczyk (200 breaststroke), Eva Chen (100 breaststroke), Henley (200 backstroke, 400 IM), Herman (1500 freestyle), Nick Korth (100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke) and Stassi (200 butterfly).
Since 2000, UC San Diego has had at least one swimmer qualify for the Olympic Trials - Matt Payne in 2000, Mark Latronica in 2004 and Rosanna Delurgio in 2004 and 2008. Both Payne and Delurgio qualified in the breaststroke while Latronica swam the backstroke.
The 2012 Olympic Team Trials will be held June 25 through July 2 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. For complete information, go to http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=1450.
The 2012 Olympic Games are scheduled for July 27 through Aug. 12 in London.
For a video interview with UCSD co-head coach Matt Macedo at the Speedo event, click here. Macedo's part begins at 1:50.
- UCSDtritons.com -
