Los Angeles, Calif. – The Pacific Tigers swim team took to the pool once more for the second day of the A3 Performance Invitational, setting new season highs and routinely finishing near the top of each event. The Tigers will compete again tomorrow in the final day of the A3 meet before returning home.
After a strong first day, Whitney Jorgensen kept at it, winning the 400 IM prelims with a time of 4:23.89. Cristina Mardones wasn't too far behind, finishing in 4:28.31. The times were the two fastest this year for Pacific. Mardones also had Pacific's best time of the prelims in the 100 Breast at 1:04.96.
Nicholas Nord had the top time for the Tigers in the 400 IM, finishing in 4:09.99. The time was two seconds faster than any Tiger had recorded this year. In the finals, Nord bested that time by finishing in 4:05.85.
Kenna Ramey and Cai Hong Singh each put up top times for Pacific in the 100 Fly. Ramey came in with a time of 55.64, a new season-best for the Tigers, while Singh's time of 55.86 is the third-best time this year. In the finals, Ramey finished fifth with a time of 54.50, topping her prelims time and setting a new season-best for Pacific while Singh finished in 55.58.
On the men's side, Stewart Harrison put together the fastest time of the year in the 100 Fly at 49.42. Jared Vu finished just .12 behind him, at 49.54. For the finals, Harrison bested his time with a finish in 49.27, while Vu just barely finished behind him at 49.30.
Jana Burkard, who had a strong day in the 500 Free on Thursday, recorded a 1:52.39 in the 200 Free. It was the second-best time in that event by a Tiger this year. Burkard's finals time gave Pacific a new season best, with Burkard ending up with a time of 1:51.04.
In the 100 Breast, Camorah King put up her best time of the year and the second-best time by any Tiger with a 1:05.49. King's time in the finals was just a bit slower but still the third-best this year at 1:06.13. Lauren Davis also finished in 1:06.89 in the finals.
Yahav Shahaff blew past the previous best time for Pacific in the 100 Breast this year with a 55.86. That time was 3.33 seconds faster than any other time put up by the Tigers before the A3 Performance Invitational. His 55.71 time in the finals was even better, giving him the two best times in the event by any Tiger this year. Cameron Franke also bested any previous times by Pacific this year with a 57.09, giving him the third-fastest 100 Breast this year.
Haley Preston represented Pacific well in the 100 Back with a third place finish in the prelims at 55.30. Preston took fifth in the finals with a time of 55.61. Singh also kept up her strong day with a 55.91 time in the prelims and a 57.51 in the finals. For the men, Curtis Klein led the way with times of 50.13 and 50.39.
The 200 Medley Relay saw Pacific's women take fourth thanks to Ramey, Preston, Mardones, and Vaiva Gimbutyte, who finished in 1:42.27. The men kept pace, taking fifth thanks to Vu, Franke, Harrison, and Shahaff finishing in 1:30.59.
After finishing strong in the 400 IM prelims, Jorgensen and Mardones kept up the pace in the finals, taking second and third. Jorgensen finished in 4:19.32, besting her prelims time and setting a new season-best for Pacific. Mardones' 4:23.02 took third.
In the 800 Free Relay, Pacific took fifth thanks to Mardones, Jorgensen, Preston, and Burkard, who had a time of 7:29.90. The men recorded a time of 6:44.51 with their team of Harrison, Presswood, Georan Meendering, and Klein.
Tomorrow's events kick off at 9:00 am once again with the 200 Back. Saturday will also feature the 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 1650 Free, and 400 Free Relay.
Make sure to follow Pacific swimming on Twitter with the username @PacTigersH2O and on Instagram at pacificswimteam.
