INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.? Heather Bradford and Warren Grobbelaar?s success on the national stage continued tonight in the finals of the 100-butterfly at the 2007 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships in Indianapolis.
Bradford garnered a 12th place finish on her way to a lifetime best swim in the 100-fly tapping in a time of 1:00.51, bettering her previous best time of 1:00.53. Bradford participated in the B-Finals in the evening?s events and placed fourth among the eight finalists. The Groveport, Ohio, native took lane two and a 13th seed into the finals and began the night as one of the first in the pool. After the first 50-meters Bradford was the leader of the pack earning a split time of 27.74. In the last leg of the event, the B-Final winner Dana Kirk used a huge kick to overcome Bradford and pull away for a 59.43 win.
Bradford?s strong showing in the event today could possibly help her earn an invitation to join the United States team in the upcoming Japan International Grand Prix begin held in Chiba, Japan, beginning Aug. 12.
The rising senior will return to the pool on Saturday as a participant in the 50-freestyle. Former Kentucky swimmer Rachel Komisarz placed first overall in the women?s 100-fly earning a time of 58.04.
Grobbelaar much like Bradford led the pack after the first 50-meters with a 24.95 split time. Heading into the stretch the native South African finished in seventh and 23rd overall in the C-Finals in a time of 54.80, slightly off his career-best time he set this morning of 54.49. He earned gold at his native National Championships in the same event this April, improving his chances of being named to the South African Olympic team.
American Michael Phelps topped the field with a time of 51.39, setting a new long-course national?s record. Australian Ian Crocker was disqualified paving the way for an easy Phelps win ahead of the second-place finisher by almost a second.
Grobbelaar will also be among the participants in the 50-free on Saturday.
The Wildcats will have four swimmers appearing in four events in tomorrow?s schedule. Rising sophomore Kyle Greene will make his first career appearance at the National Championships in the 200-freestyle. Seniors Lindsay Myhre and Will Vietti will both participate in the 100-breaststroke. Vietti earlier this week placed 17th overall in the 200-breast. Wrapping it up for the Blue and White is rising junior Shane Eliason who will take off from the block in the 100-backstroke.
Complete coverage of the 2007 ConcoPhillips National Championship can be found at www.usaswimming.org
Complete coverage of the Wildcats will be available 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)
Seed: 102nd Qualifying Time: 1:38.13(Y)
Event 22- 100 LC Breaststroke
Lindsay Myhre (senior, Aurora, Colo.)
Seed: 101st Qualifying Time: 1:03.43(Y)
Event 23- 100 LC Breaststroke
Will Vietti (senior, Thermopolis, Wyo.)
Seed: 23rd Qualifying Time: 1:03.84
Event 25- 100 LC Backstroke
Shane Eliason (junior, Sturgeon Bay, Wisc.)
Seed: 42nd Qualifying Time: 58.24
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)
