INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.? Kentucky swimmer Will Vietti edged his way into seventh place in the 100-breaststroke at the 2007 ConcoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships to highlight an impressive outing for the rising senior.
Vietti entered the A-Finals with an eighth place seed, an already stellar accomplishment to participate in the top field of the country improving upon his 23rd seeding in the preliminary heat. He was not quite satisfied however.
In a terrific race, the Thermopolis, Wyo., native hit the half-way point wall in the final spot of the eight swimmers but, turned it up a notch and passed John Criste to finish seventh in a career-defining finish time of 1:02.56. Vietti knocked off almost 25 hundredths of a second between his race this morning and this evening?s finals race.
Vietti swam this morning?s prelims in a time of 1:02.75 to place among the top in the country. Tonight, Olympic gold medalist Brendan Hansen topped the field with a 59.59 time. The sixth place finisher, Nate Cass, finished just ahead of Vietti with a time of 1:02.48.
The Wildcat?s time is once again an Olympic qualifying time and this certainly puts his name in contention to join the US National team.
Vietti caps off a stellar 2007 Championships having placed in the top 17 in both breaststroke events, including tonight?s incredible showing. Vietti returns to Kentucky already possessing the UK records in both breaststroke events. He will surely be a favorite in the SEC conference and a mainstay on a potent UK relay lineup.
The final day of competition for the National Championships begins tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Six Blue and White swimmers are among tomorrow?s competitors, including Heather and Jenny Bradford, Warren Grobbelaar, Eric McGinnis, and first-time participants Alex Forbes and rising freshman Jenna Newsome.
Complete coverage of the Wildcats will be available upon completion of the preliminary heats at www.ukathletics.com.
Wildcats Schedule at the 2007 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships
Tuesday
Event 2- 200 LC Butterfly
Joe Retrum (junior, Noblesville, Ind.)
88th (2:07.68)
Event 4- 200 LC Breaststroke
Will Vietti (senior, Thermopolis, Wyo.)
17th (2:16.65-OLYM)
Wednesday
Event 9- 100 LC Freestyle
Heather Bradford (senior, Groveport, Ohio)
70th (57.94-JR-A)
Jenny Bradford (senior, Groveport, Ohio)
72nd (57.96-JR-A)
Event 10- 100 LC Freestyle
Warren Grobbelaar (junior, Pretoria, South Africa)
49th (51.46-OLYM)
Eric McGinnis (sophomore, Raleigh, N.C.)
38th (51.22-OLYM)
Tyler Reed (freshman, Morgantown, Ky.)
89th (52.32-SCN)
Event 12- 200 LC Backstroke
Shane Eliason (junior, Sturgeon Bay, Wisc.)
27th (2:04.66-OLYM)
Thursday
Event 17- 100 LC Butterfly
Heather Bradford (senior, Groveport, Ohio)
12th (1:00.51-OLYM)
Jenny Bradford (senior, Groveport, Ohio)
33rd (1:01.84-OLYM)
Megan Pulskamp (sophomore, Spartanburg, S.C.)
56th (1:02.57-NATS)
Event 18- 100 LC Butterfly
Warren Grobbelaar (junior, Pretoria, South Africa)
23rd (54.80-OLYM)
Friday
Event 21- 200 LC Freestyle
Kyle Greene (sophomore, Cincinnati, Ohio)
43rd (1:52.87-OLYM)
Event 22- 100 LC Breaststroke
Lindsay Myhre (senior, Aurora, Colo.)
90th (1:15.10-JR-B)
Event 23- 100 LC Breaststroke
Will Vietti (senior, Thermopolis, Wyo.)
6th (1:02.56-OLYM)
Event 25- 100 LC Backstroke
Shane Eliason (junior, Sturgeon Bay, Wisc.)
40th (58.22-NATS)
Saturday
Event 30- 50 LC Freestyle
Heather Bradford (senior, Groveport, Ohio)
Seed: 8th Qualifying Time: 25.90
Jenny Bradford (senior, Groveport, Ohio)
Seed: 9th Qualifying Time: 25.90
Jenna Newsome (freshman, Kennesaw, Ga.)
Seed: 66th Qualifying Time: 26.64
Event 31- 50 LC Freestyle
Alex Forbes (freshman, Orlando, Fla.)
Seed: 66th Qualifying Time: 23.76
Warren Grobbelaar (junior, Pretoria, South Africa)
Seed: 75th Qualifying Time: 19.93(Y)
Eric McGinnis (sophomore, Raleigh, N.C.)
Seed: 88th Qualifying Time: 20.30(Y)
