August 01, 2007
Texas A&M junior-to-be Kristen Heiss (Casper, Wyo.) earned a fifth-place finish in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2007 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships on Wednesday evening.
Heiss hit the wall in 2:12.00, the second-fastest time of her career. U.S. Olympian Katie Hoff, swimming for the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, set a lifetime best of 2:10.31 to win her first U.S. 200 back title. Former NCAA champion Mary DeScenza was second with a lifetime-best of 2:11.26.
Heiss recorded a time of 2:11.59 during the eighth of 13 morning preliminary heats. That time not only would have been fast enough to win this season?â„¢s NCAA Championships (after being converted to yards), but was faster than the winning time at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. The time also would have been good enough to easily qualify for the 2004 Olympic final in Athens and would have earned her a bronze medal at the 2005 world championships.
Following Wednesday?â„¢s final, Heiss now ranks No. 15 in American history in the 200-meter backstroke and No. 19 in the world this year.
Aggie sophomore-to-be Emily Neal (Plano) also had a career day, finishing fifth in the consolation final of the 200 back. Neal recorded a career-best time of 2:15.35 to place 14th during morning prelims. Neal then improved to 2:15.11 at night to give A&M the fifth-place finisher in both the championship and consolation finals at the U.S. National Championships.