AU Swimming Update, 6/29

Hey everyone. The big Auburn news for the next few days will center around the US Olympic Swimming Trails, which run through Sunday in Omaha. There are 44 former, current and future Tigers participating. Several have a real chance to qualify for the Olympic team.

The Olympics begin August 8.

I'm generally not a swimming guy. I love watching the Olympics and associated qualifying meets, though, because it's often a once-in-a-lifetime situation for these people. You can see the drama unfold. I love it.

In races 200m and shorter, the top 16 in the HEATS qualify for the SEMIS. The top 8 in SEMIS qualify for FINALS.
In races 400m and longer, the top 8 in the HEATS qualify directly for the FINALS.

SUNDAY SYNPOSIS:

• Auburn's situation in the men's 100m breast looks good. Mark Gangloff and Eric Shanteau are 2-3 in that event heading into Monday's final. It looks like someone is going to make the Olympics.
  
• Margaret Hoelzer made the semis in the 100m butterfly -- not her best event -- but didn't qualify for the finals.
  
• Former swimmer Julie Stupp qualified for the 400m IM finals but finished last. The winner of that race, Katie Hoff, set a world record.
  

WOMEN
Semi-finals: 100m Butterfly (16 competitors)
11 -- Margaret Hoelzer - 59.48

Prelims: 100m Butterfly (137 competitors)
5 - Margaret Hoelzer - 58.67
36 - Margo McCawley - 1:00.71
44 - Kelsey Winters - 1:00.97
46 - Emily Kukors - 1:01.01
51 - Melanie Roberts - 1:01.10
81 - Melissa Marik - 1:02.04

**********
Finals: 400m IM (8 competitors)
8 - Julie Stupp -- 4:46.01

Prelims: 400m IM (82 competitors)
7 - Julie Stupp - 4:42.92
12 - Ava Ohlgren - 4:45.44
36 - Erica Meissner - 4:52.32
67 - Blakeley Bunch - 4:58.26

MEN
Prelims: 400m Freestyle (67 competitors)
32 - Will Dove - 3:57.03
42 - Robert Looney - 3:58.06

**********
Semi-finals: 100m Breaststroke (16 competitors)
2 -- Mark Gangloff -- 1:00.17
3 -- Eric Shanteau -- 1:00.63
10 -- Jon Roberts -- 1:01.88

Prelims: 100m Breaststroke (76 competitors)
2 - Mark Gangloff - 1:00.10
3 - Eric Shanteau - 1:00.91
8 - Jon Roberts - 1:01.44
37 - Michael Silva - 1:03.44
39 - Adam Klein - 1:03.76
42 - Jon Hiett - 1:03.90
43 - James Wike - 1:03.97

**********
Prelims: 400m IM (53 competitors)
18 - Andrew Callahan - 4:24.12
49 - Andrew Mitchell - 4:32.44

LOOKING AHEAD TO MONDAY MORNING

Here's a look at events to be contested today and Auburn's top swimmers, based on qualifying times, in each event.

WOMEN
100m Backstroke
3 -- Margaret Hoelzer, 1:00.38
19 -- Margo McCawley, 1:02.79

100m Breaststroke
15 -- Melanie Roberts, 1:09.68
27 -- Abby MacGregor, 1:10.48

400m Freestyle
23 -- Emily Kukors, 4:14.01
30 -- Maggie Bird, 4:15.25

MEN
200m Breaststroke
23 -- Doug Van Wie, 1:49.77
50 -- Joey Schneider, 1:52.01

200m Backstroke
11 -- Doug Van Wie, 1:59.90
23 -- James Wike, 2:02.12

Photo credit: AU/Todd Van Emst