Kendra Stern improves NCAA record - NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships
Kendra Stern improved the Women’s 500-yard freestyle record by beating the defending champion, Caroline Wilson, in the second session on day one of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. The championship
is being hosted in Knoxville, Tennessee, at the Allan Jones Aquatic Centre from March 23-26.
The session started with the final of the Women’s 500-yard freestyle, where the second fastest qualifying swimmer, Stern, improved the NCAA record of Caroline Wilson with a timing of 4:43.37 minutes. Caroline was two seconds slower than her record, clocking
a time of 4:47.98 minutes and was followed by Elizabe Horvat for the bronze medal in a time of 4:49.47 minutes.
In the Men’s corner, the equivalent event was conquered by the fastest swimmer of the heats, Ry Lichtenfels, in an improved time of 4:23.91 minutes. Amherst’s Alex Fraser and Denison’s Allen Weik followed him for the silver and bronze medals on the podium,
in a time of 4:25.58 and 4:25.67 minutes, respectively.
In the Women’s 200-yard Individual Medley (IM), Logan Todhunter, proved her fastest qualification spot when she earned the gold medal in a time of 2:01.71 minutes. Her time was comfortably ahead of the second and third finishers, April Whitley and Lauren
Brady, who touched the wall in a time of 2:03.29 and 2:04.06 minutes, respectively.
The equivalent event for men faced a surprising performance, as the fifth fastest qualifier, Paul Dyrkacz, who won the gold medal in a time of 1:49.10 minutes ahead of Christop Depew and Danila Novikov, who touched home in 1:49.57 and 1:49.99 minutes, respectively.
The fastest swimmer to qualify for the final, Peter O’Brien, finished his swim in the fourth spot, clocking a time of 1:50.16 minutes.
Next was the Women’s 50-yard freestyle, where the top three qualifiers maintained their spots in the final. Laura Barito sprinted for the gold medal in a time of 22.87 seconds. Her time was only 0.16 seconds above from the record. Amanda Croix and Claire
Pavlak followed her to the finishing wall for the second and third positions, in a time of 23.00 seconds and 23.24 seconds, respectively.
In the Men’s corner, David Somers conquered the equivalent event in a time of 20.11 seconds ahead of Collin Ohning and Craig Fleming, who ended their swims in a time of 20.23 and 20.32 seconds, respectively
In the Women’s 200-yard medley relay, Emory won the gold medal in a time of 1:41.58 minutes and was followed by Denison and Williams in 1:41.94 and 1:42.39 minutes, respectively. The last event of the evening was the Men’s 200-yard medley relay, where the
Kenyon team dominated proceedings in a wonderful time of 1:28.17 minutes, ahead of the Denison and Emory squads, who touched the wall in 1:29.57 and 1:30.91 minutes, respectively.
The second day of the championship will include the preliminary and final rounds of the same events.
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