Feb. 28, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Sophomore Jeremy Raines won the 100-yard backstroke and four school records fell Friday, as the Georgia Tech men’s swimming and diving team remained in fourth place following day two of the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships at Koury Natatorium.
Virginia continues to hold onto its lead going in the final day of competition with 507 points. Florida State maintained their second place position with 397 points, while North Carolina stands in third (377.5) after thirteen events. The Jackets are fourth (315), followed by NC State (237), Clemson (205), Maryland (147), and Duke (107.5).
Raines placed first in the 100 back with a time of 49.02, to claim just the second individual ACC swimming title in Yellow Jacket history. His swim was the second-fastest 100 back performance in school history, trailing only Raines’ own leadoff split of 48.72 in Thursday’s 400 medley relay. He has met the NCAA “B” standard in the event.
In addition to Raines’ title-winning swim, senior Shilo Ayalon posted his second runner-up finish of the meet with a second-place finish in the 400 individual medley. His swim of 3:48.31 was one of four school records set in Friday’s evening session and met the NCAA “B” qualifying standard. Ayalon automatically qualified in the 500 free Thursday and has now earned All-ACC honors on six occasions in his career.
Ayalon also posted a school record and NCAA “B” cut in the 200 free, with a leadoff split of 1:37.70 on a record-setting 800 free relay. Ayalon, senior Josh Hersko, freshman Sam Morgan and sophomore Matt Figh placed third and posted a time of 6:36.12 to eclipse the school record and meet the NCAA “B” standard.
The final school record of the evening came from the 200 medley relay squad of Raines, senior Robbie Foster and freshmen Teemu Kettunen and Ryan Riebesell. This quartet placed fourth in 1:29.90.
Tech also got NCAA “B” cuts from Hersko, who went 1:37.94 in the 200 free to win the consolation final and place ninth overall, and senior Tomonori Tsuji, who was sixth in the 100 breast in 55.39. Hersko’s swim would have also placed first in the final and eclipsed his own school record before Ayalon’s leadoff swim in the 800 free relay. Additionally, Figh also placed sixth in the 200 free with a time of 1:39.20. He posted a “B” cut of 1:39.02 in Friday’s prelims.
Also scoring for Tech was Kettunen, who took ninth in the 100 fly, Morgan, who was 10th in the 400 IM, Foster, who was 11th in the 100 breast, senior Jorge Oliver, who finished 12th in the 100 back, freshman Yonatan Cohen, who took 12th in the 200 free, freshman Jacob Wilson, who placed 13th in the 400 IM, and senior James Salazar, who was 13th in the 100 back.
Competition concludes Saturday with a preliminary session at 11 a.m., followed by the finals at 7 p.m.
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