April 4, 2003
INDIANAPOLIS – The Georgia Tech men’s 800-meter freestyle relay posted an eighth-place finish Friday at the 2003 ConocoPhillips U.S. National Swimming Championships, continuing a solid showing this week by the Jackets. As a team, the Tech men are tied for 14th place with 33 points.
The team of Shilo Ayalon, Sam Morgan, Eduardo Oliver and Matt Figh clocked a time of 7:45.24 to finish eighth. This performance marked the second impressive relay showing by the Tech men as the 400 free relay took 11th Thursday.
Freshman Ashley Kracke was the top individual finisher Friday, placing 25th in the prelims of the 100-meter backstroke. She posted a time of 1:05.26, while sophomore Anna Saum went 1:06.45 to finish 50th. On the men’s side, ACC champion Jeremy Raines was 45th in the 100 back with a time of 1:00.1.
In other prelim action, Oliver, who took eighth in the 800 free Tuesday, placed 29th in the 400 free with a time of 4:04.20, while Figh finished 34th in 4:05.16. Former Yellow Jacket standout Leo Salinas placed 12th the prelims in 3:59.76. Figh also swam the 100 fly, placing 50th in 57.33. Former Yellow Jacket All-ACC swimmer David Laitala took 48th in the 100 fly (57.20).
In the women’s 100 fly, freshman Megan DeVinney was 86th (1:05.23), and sophomore Anna Saum placed 93rd (1:05.64.)
Freshman Yonatan Cohen was 31st (1:05.32) in the 100 breast, while senior Tomonori Tsuji finished 46th (1:06.10) in the same event.
The five-day meet concludes Saturday with prelims at 9 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m.
-GT-
