World's Best Gather for Missouri Grand Prix

Feb. 12, 2009

Feb. 12, 2009

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Some of the world's best swimmers are set to gather at the Mizzou Aquatic Center this weekend for the third-annual Missouri Grand Prix. The four-day event is the third of six stops in the USA Swimming Grand Prix Series.

The event will run from Friday, February 13 through Monday, February 16. The preliminary sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will begin at 9 a.m. CT, with the finals starting at 5:30 p.m. CT. Monday is a timed finals session, with no preliminaries.

In year's past, numerous American, U.S. Open and World records have been shattered during this event. Last year, Natalie Coughlin broke her own world record in the 100 back, while Kirsty Coventry broke an 18-year old world record in the 200 back with her performance. Three-time Olympian and 2008 gold medalist Erik Vendt set a U.S. Open record in the 1500 free, and Katie Hoff broke the 200 and 400 free American records. In 2007, 14-time gold medalist Michael Phelps set the world record in the 200 fly.

This year, many people who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, will compete together in Columbia, Mo. Along with Hoff, Mark Gangloff, Matt Grevers, Ryan Lochte, Christine Magnuson, Ous Mellouli, Eric Shanteau, Chloe Sutton and Garrett Weber-Gale will also be swimming over the course of the four days.

Along with the numerous Olympians, 30 members of Missouri's men's and women's swimming and diving teams will be in action as well, competing against some of the world's best as they prepare for the Big 12 Championships in two weeks, also held at the Mizzou Aquatic Center.

Missouri Grand Prix tickets cost $10 for preliminary sessions and Monday's timed finals, while tickets to the finals session can be purchased for $15 each. An all-session pass can also be purchased for $60. For more information on the event, stay tuned to mutigers.com, or visit the Columbia Swim Club website at http://www.csctigersharks.org/MOGrandPrix2009/default.htm.

PRELIMINARIES SCHEDULE

Friday Saturday Sunday

200 Free (W)

200 IM (W) 200 Back (W)
200 Free (M) 200 IM (M) 200 Back (M)
100 Breast (W) 50 Free (W) 100 Free (W)
100 Breast (M) 50 Free (M) 100 Free (M)
100 Fly (W) 200 Breast (W) 200 Fly (W)
100 Fly (M) 200 Breast (M) 200 Fly (M)
400 IM (W) 100 Back (W) 800 Free (W)
400 IM (M) 100 Back (M) 1500 Free (M)
400 Free (W)
400 Free (M)

FINALS SCHEDULE

Friday Saturday Sunday Monday
200 Free (W) 200 IM (W) 200 Back (W) 50 Fly (W)
200 Free (M) 200 IM (M) 200 Back (M) 50 Fly (M)
100 Breast (W) 50 Free (W) 100 Free (W)

50 Back (W)

100 Breast (M) 50 Free (M) 100 Free (M) 50 Back (M)
100 Fly (W) 200 Breast (W) 200 Fly (W) 50 Breast (W)
100 Fly (M) 200 Breast (M) 200 Fly (M) 50 Breast (M)
400 IM (W) 100 Back (W) 400 Free Relay (W) 1500 Free (W)
400 IM (M) 100 Back (M) 400 Free Relay (M) 800 Free (M)
800 Free Relay (W) 400 Free (W)
800 Free Relay (M) 400 Free (M)
400 Med. Relay (W)
400 Med. Relay (M)

TIGER WOMEN COMPETING
Leah Cowperthwaite - 200 Free, 400 Free, 100 Free
Emy DiBenigno - 100 Breast, 400 IM
Kayla Durnil - 100 Breast, 200 Breast
Colleen Gordon - 100 Fly, 400 Free
Lori Halvorson - 200 Free, 50 Free, 100 Free
Melissa Jamerson - 100 Fly, 200 Fly
Lauren Lavigna - 200 Back
Morgan McCleery - 100 Breast, 200 Breast
Lisa Nathanson - 50 Free
Stephanie Rovig - 200 Free, 400 Free
Mary Sheahen - 100 Breast, 200 Breast
Anastasia Sotiropoulos - 100 Fly, 400 IM
Carly Sullivan - 200 Free, 100 Fly
Francie Szostak - 200 Free, 400 Free
TIGER MEN COMPETING
Adam Abernathy - 50 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Back
Matt Burns - 50 Free
Martin Cernansky - 100 Breast, 200 Breast, 50 Fly
Bryan Difford - 100 Breast, 200 IM, 100 Free
David Dorak - 100 Fly
Ted Harris - 100 Breast, 200 Breast
Jordan Hawley - 50 Free
John Hunt - 200 Free, 1500 Free
Gilad Kaufman - 100 Fly, 50 Free
Brian Kaylor - 100 Fly, 50 Fly
Max Kerwick - 100 Free
Jan Konarzewski - 100 Fly, 100 Back, 200 Back
Spenser Lauver - 200 Free, 400 Free
Eric Maczko - 400 IM, 200 Breast
Cameron Sellers - 200 Free, 400 Free
Logan Sutton - 50 Free