A pair of Texas A&M swimmers set Mexican national records at the 2015 Phillips 66 National Championships at the Northside Swim Center in San Antonio last week.
Shattering Mexican national records at the U.S. national meet were 2015 senior Lili Ibanez (Celaya, Mexico) and sophomore-to-be Esther Gonzalez (Torreon, Mexico).
Ibanez, a 19-time All-American during her four seasons in Aggieland, lowered her own national record with a time of 25.23 while winning the consolation final of the 50-meter freestyle. Ibanez's time was also significant because it was a FINA "A" qualifying cut, which guarantees Ibanez of a spot at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero. Ibanez also competed at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Gonzalez, who qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2015, set the 200 breaststroke record with a time of 2:28.09 in the prelims and went on to place seventh in the Championship final in a time of 2:28.43. Gonzalez broke the previous Mexican record set by Adriana Marmolejo in 2008 by .01 of a second.
Shattering Mexican national records at the U.S. national meet were 2015 senior Lili Ibanez (Celaya, Mexico) and sophomore-to-be Esther Gonzalez (Torreon, Mexico).
Ibanez, a 19-time All-American during her four seasons in Aggieland, lowered her own national record with a time of 25.23 while winning the consolation final of the 50-meter freestyle. Ibanez's time was also significant because it was a FINA "A" qualifying cut, which guarantees Ibanez of a spot at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero. Ibanez also competed at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Gonzalez, who qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2015, set the 200 breaststroke record with a time of 2:28.09 in the prelims and went on to place seventh in the Championship final in a time of 2:28.43. Gonzalez broke the previous Mexican record set by Adriana Marmolejo in 2008 by .01 of a second.