University Southern California Trojans
Six USC Swimmers Qualify for Finals
June 21, 1999 | Men's Swimming & Diving
March 26, 1999
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Six USC swimmers qualified for championship finals, as did Troy's 200y medley relay, and two school records were broken during prelims of day two of the 1999 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships at the Indiana UniversityNatatorium in Indianapolis on Friday (March 26).
Senior Bela Szabados, who took second in the 500y free on Thursday, swam the fastest 200y free in prelims in 1:34.70. Szabados, the USC record-holder in the event (1:34.36), finished second in the event in 1998 and won the event as a freshman at Florida Atlantic in 1996. Teammate Philippe Demers, a sophomore, also qualified for the finals (seventh overall), swimming a 1:36.22. It marks Demers' first championship appearance. Junior Bret Awbrey swam a personal best 1:37.30 (19th) and sophomore Gabe Wodoward swam a personal best 1:38.27 (28th).
Two Trojans made the finals of the 100y breast. Sophomore Slawek Richter swam a school-record 54.54 (breaking his own mark of 54.56), qualifying seventh, and sophomore Ryosuke Imai swam 54.58, qualifying eighth. Richter and Imai, both competing in their first NCAAs, are USC's two fastest individuals in the event ever.
Senior co-captain Mike Williams reached the first individual finals of his career when he qualified sixth in the 100y fly in a USC record 47.38. Williams broke his own mark in the event (47.45, 1998).
Freshman Mark Warkentin, who reached the consolation finals of the 500y free on Thursday, reached the finals of the 400y IM, swimming a season best 3:48.96, qualifying seventh. Senior co-captain Mark Kwok swam 3:54.73 (31st) and freshman Nick Kaschik swam 3:55.46 (33rd).
Sophomore Leonardo Costa swam 48.72 in the 100y back (21st).
The Trojans' 200y medley relay team of Demers, Imai, Williams and Woodward qualified eighth for the finals in a season best 1:27.94. USC took fifth in the event last year.
Tonight's finals begin at 7 p.m. (EST).
