Alabama Swimmers Win U.S. Open Titles
12/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
The Alabama Swimming and Diving team finished off a stellar weekend of competition at the U.S. Open in San Antonio, Texas with a pair of titles.
Sophomore sensation Vlad Polyakov won the 200m breaststroke championship while juniors Chris Flamion and Darren Erasmus combined with senior Franck Southon and sophomore Apstolis Tsagkarakis to win the 400m freestyle relay.
"We really closed out the meet well," Alabama head coach Eric McIlquham said. "There was some very, very tough competition here and we raced very well. I think we can take a great deal of confidence away from here and take it into the rest of the season."
Polyakov dominated the field in the 200m breaststroke, winning by nearly seven seconds and setting a pool record of 2:15.35 in the process. He swept both the 100 and 200m breaststrokes.
The Tide's 400m freestyle relay posted a 3:28.29, beating out the University of Florida's four-some by more than two seconds.
Tsagkarakis took sixth in the 100m freestyle, posting a time of 51.62 while junior J.T. Jones finaled in the 200m butterfly, taking seventh with a 2:04.86.
Alabama returns to action after the new year with a meet at Georgia on January 7.
