March 3, 2013
ATHENS, Ga. – Lucas Gerotto and Christina Bechtel highlighted the first day of the Bulldog Last Chance Meet with improved times in each of their top events, as they make a final push for the 2013 NCAA Championships. Each moved up in the UK record books as well with their performances Saturday.
Kentucky wrapped up action at the Bulldog Last Chance Meet on Sunday evening and will now wait to see if any of their athletes made the final cut for NCAAs.
“Overall, we’re very pleased with many lifetime-best performances over the weekend,” said associate head coach Lars Jorgenson. “The team raced hard and it’s a building block for the future.
“To have Christina become a NCAA qualifier is a testament to her work ethic and dedication. I also think we have a chance to Lucas to become an NCAA qualifier.”
After breaking two school records at the Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships last weekend, Gerotto broke his own record Saturday evening as he looks to return to the NCAA Championships for consecutive seasons. Looking to improve his time in the 100-backstroke to increase the likelihood of his qualifications for NCAAs, the junior trumped last week’s time and career-best 47.28 with a new time and program-best 47.19.
Gerotto competed in a separate time trial Sunday in the 100-backstroke, but finished with a 47.68 and was not able to improve his time for a consecutive day.
Bechtel also took a step forward as she looks to earn her first career appearance at the NCAA Championships. Coming off her career-best swim in the 100-butterfly with a 53.38 at the SEC Championships, the sophomore moved into the program’s top two in the event, tapping in at 52.62 earning a ‘B’ cut standard time and greatly improving her chances to compete at NCAAs in two weeks.
In the men’s 200-medley relay time trial, the team of Ramon Walton, George Greenhalgh, Gerotto and Heidler earned a ‘B’ cut time as well, racing to a 1:27.37 time.
Final selections for the 2013 NCAA Championships will be made on March 13 with the finals taking place March 28-30 in Indianapolis, Ind., at the IU Natatorium. Kentucky divers will compete in their qualifying meet March 14-16 with the location to be determined.
Sunday’s Results
Men 200 Yard Backstroke
Resch, Robert 1:53.48 1:54.27
Iannuzzi, Luke 1:56.78 1:54.81
Men 100 Yard Freestyle
Lott, Chris 44.98 44.99
Dillon, Brent 45.87 45.96
Cattell, Micah 46.14 46.23
Smith, Derrick 46.34 46.25
Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
Widdowson, Whit 2:06.13 2:05.61
Sierra, Carlos DQ
Women 200 Yard Butterfly
Myers, Abby 2:03.76 2:02.89
Men 200 Yard Butterfly
Freeman, Blake 1:51.49 1:51.49
Men 50 Yard Freestyle Time Trial
Greenhalgh, George 21.04
Men 100 Yard Butterfly Time Trial
Smith, Derrick 50.28
Men 100 Yard Backstroke Time Trial
Iannuzzi, Luke 52.54
Men 100 Yard Backstroke Time Trial
Gerotto, Lucas 47.68 B
Men 100 Yard Freestyle Time Trial
Green, Travis 45.89
Greenhalgh, George 46.44
Men 200 Yard Breaststroke Time Trial
Sierra, Carlos 2:04.14
Saturday’s Results
Men 500 Yard Freestyle
Green, Travis 4:30.19 4:26.21
Men 200 Yard IM
Dillon, Brent 1:52.66 1:51.62
Sierra, Carlos 1:54.89
Men 50 Yard Freestyle
Lott, Chris 20.52 20.55
Smith, Derrick 20.72 20.63
Cattell, Micah 20.88 20.649
Iannuzzi, Luke 21.48 24.37
Men 400 Yard IM
Freeman, Blake 4:02.74 4:02.07
Women 100 Yard Butterfly
Bechtel, Christina 52.87 52.62 B
Myers, Abby 57.09 56.45
Men 100 Yard Butterfly
Smith, Derrick 50.75 50.67
Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
Widdowson, Whit W 56.93 56.42
Men 100 Yard Backstroke
Gerotto, Lucas 53.44 47.19 B
Iannuzzi, Luke 52.43 52.25
Walton, Ramon 59.62
Men 200 Yard Medley Relay Time Trial
University of Kentucky-KY ‘A’ 1:27.37 B
1) Walton, Ramon R SR 2) r:0.21 Greenhalgh, George SO
3) r:0.17 Gerotto, Lucas SO 4) r:0.10 Heidler, Will JR
Men 100 Yard Breaststroke Time Trial
Sierra, Carlos 57.59
Women 200 Yard Butterfly Time Trial
Norkus, Diana 2:08.21
*First time denotes preliminaries
