Swimming Duo Compete in US Open Championship Finals
11/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. ?? University of Alabama seniors Apostolis Tsagkarakis and Hunor Mate’ made the championship finals of the 50m freestyle and 100m breaststroke respectively during day one of the 2006 U.S. Open held at Purdue University’s Boilermaker Aquatics Center this week.
The U.S. Open is the first big meet of the competitive year and close to 1,000 swimmers have packed the deck at poolside, and the competition is top-notch including more than two-dozen Olympians.
Tsagkarakis took fourth in the 50m freestyle with a 22.80, earning an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships in the process. Mate’ posted a 1:03.58 to take sixth place, moving up a place and dropping a half second off his preliminary swim. Mate’s time earned him a provisional NCAA cut.
Tide rookie sensation Agustina de Giovanni had a busy day, swimming in three prelims and two finals. She was 17th in the 200m IM with a 2:20.26, dropping nearly two seconds off her prelims time and climbed three spots. She was 21st in the 100m breaststroke with a 1:12.84, shaving nearly a second off her preliminary time. She earned NCAA “B” cuts in both events.
De Giovanni was also 58th in the prelims of the 400m freestyle with a 4:30.77. Junior Erin Sparks posted a top-25 finish in the 50m freestyle, taking 23rd in the “C” finals with a 26.97.
The Crimson Tide returns to action Friday with swims in the 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 400 IM.
