Feb. 14, 2009
COLUMBIA, Mo. - After not placing higher than 14th in the 2008 Missouri Grand Prix, the Tigers came out with a bang during day one. Day two was no different. Freshman Lisa Nathanson followed junior Martin Cernansky's bronze medal win in the 100 meter breast the day before with a third-place finish of her own, swimming the 50 meter free in 26.04. Senior Lori Halvorson joined Nathanson in the finals of the same event, taking seventh with a time of 26.61.
Cernansky then scored his second medal of the weekend, claiming the silver in the 200 breast with a time of 2:15.31.
The men's portion of the 50 meter free saw another top-10 finish by a Tiger and a new Missouri Grand Prix and Mizzou Pool record. Sophomore Jordan Hawley, swimming in the “B” finals, took second in his heat and 10th overall after his swim of 23.59.
Stealing the show in the race, however, was Fred Bousquet. The French native and silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics swam the best time ever in the event and at the Mizzou Aquatic Center, winning the 50 meter free with a time of 21.59.
Sophomore Mary Sheahen raced to a time of 2:49.97 and a finish of 21st in the 200 meter breaststroke, while freshman Adam Abernathy took 18th in the 100 meter back, swimming in 1:00.80. Sophomore Spenser Lauver finished 10th in the 400 meter free, touching in 4:01.37. His time barely missed the U.S. Open time cut, falling short by just .08.
Three-time 2008 Olympic medalist Katie Hoff took gold twice on the evening, winning the 200 meter IM and the 400 meter free. Ryan Lochte brought his weekend gold medal total to three, racing to first in the 200 meter IM and 100 meter back. Mary DeScenza took gold in the 100 back, her third in the past two days, while also claiming silver in the 200 IM.
The Missouri Grand Prix will continue with Sunday's preliminaries, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. CT.