Aggie Swimmers Shine at USA Nationals
Aug 08, 2007 | Men's Swimming and Diving
August 08, 2007
Six members of the Texas A&M men?™s swimming team shined at the 2007 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships July 31-Aug 4 at the IUPUI Natatorium.
Two Aggies achieved their Olympic Trials cuts and are guaranteed a spot in the 2008 USA Olympic Trials with hopes of competing at the Beijing Olympic Games.
The top finish by an Aggie swimmer came from Ozzie Gardner, who is recovered a back injury that kept him out of the pool during the 2006-07 season. Gardner qualified for the ?B? final in the 50-meter freestyle with a 23.10 clocking in the prelims and finished 14th overall with a time of 23.12 in the final. His 23.10 clocking was a career long course best and an Olympic Trials qualifying time. Gardner also added a Trials cut in the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.50.
Gardner also contributed a strong second leg (51.46 split) on the Aggies?™ 400 freestyle relay that placed 13th overall with a time of 3:25.91. Also swimming legs were Francisco Picasso (51.64), Ryan Latone (51.63) and Casey Strange (51.18).
Latone posted an Olympic Trials cut with a time of 1:52.50 in the prelims of the 200 freestyle, but did not advance to the final. Latone also swim the 400 free and turned in a time of 4:01.43.
Picasso, who exhausted his eligibility last spring, had solid efforts in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles. Picasso, who will likely represent his native Uruguay in the Olympics, turned in a time of 23.01 in the 50 and 51.17 in the 100.
Other Aggies swimming in individual events were Kyle Holland in the 100 backstroke, Ryan Loney in the 400 free and 400 IM, and Nathan Lavery in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM. The foursome of Holland, Lavery, Latone and Strange combined for a time of 3:54.95 in the 400 medley relay.
