July 9, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - A Texas A&M women's swimming relay team won a race at the U.S. world championship trials for the second straight day while senior Julia Wilkinson (Stratford, Ontario, Canada) qualified for a second world championship event at Canadian trials among other notable Aggie swimming performances across the globe on Thursday.
Incoming Aggie freshman Kendra Chernoff (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) won the 50-meter butterfly at the Canadian world trials, outlasting Arizona State's Jennifer Beckberger, 27.20 to 27.27. The win is Chernoff's first at a major Canadian senior meet.
Senior Julia Wilkinson, who qualified for the Canadian 800-meter freestyle relay team on Wednesday, did likewise for the 400-meter freestyle relay on Thursday by finishing fourth in the 100-meter free final in 55.35. Wilkinson qualified third for the evening finals of the 100 free after going 55.74 during morning preliminaries in Montreal.
In Indianapolis, Ind., the group of Melissa Hain (Kingwood), Ella Doerge (Clive, Iowa) and Hannah Kinder (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) captured the gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the U.S. world championship trials. The group hit the wall first in 8:17.80, more than three seconds ahead of Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics (8:21.48).
Earlier in the day, Melissa Hain turned in the Aggies' best individual finish of the day at U.S. trials, placing 29th in the 400-meter individual medley (4:53.50). Ella Doerge, and Maria Sommer (Brenham), finished 39th, 40th and 41st, respectively, in the 50-meter freestyle in times of 26.33, 26.34, and 26.37.
In Belgrade, Serbia, senior Kristen Heiss (Casper, Wyo.) continued to stand out for the United States at the World University Games with preliminary and semifinal wins in the 200-meter freestyle. Heiss won the fourth of six heats in the morning in 2:01.84 then captured the first of two semifinal heats at night in 2:00.57. She will swim in the championship final of the 200 free on Friday evening.
Back in Canada, both Chernoff and fellow incoming freshman Tess Simpson (Ingleside, Ontario) swam prelims in the 100 free and 50 fly. Chernoff entered the 50 fly final seeded fifth after going 27.57 while Simpson placed 20th at 28.42. Simpson took 43rd place in the 100 free prelims in 58.76 while Chernoff was 60th in 1:00.06.
All three meets will continue through Saturday.