AUSTIN, Texas- On the final day of competition on Sunday at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Austin, Texas, distance specialist Anton Ipsen helped to cap off the NC State men’s swimming and diving team’s showing with a fifth-place finish in the 1500m freestyle out of a field of 53 competitors.
Sponsored by USA Swimming inside the Lee & Joe Jamail Swimming Center on the University of Texas’ campus, the meet gives the select swimmers competing a chance to race in a long course pool to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games qualification process.
Including Ipsen’s performance, six swimmers met the US Olympic Trial time standard in their respective events. All six have previously bettered the Trial standards in those events, but today further solidified their berth to attempt to qualify for the Games.
The Wolfpack had several others post national cuts in the five events contested on Sunday, which gives those swimmers berths into various national level events that are sponsored by USA Swimming.
Butterfly
Christian McCurdy posted a US Olympic Trial mark of 2:01.28 in the prelim session of the 200m butterfly to advance to the ‘B’ final, while Austin Snyder swam a national meet standard time of 2:03.96 to qualify for the ‘C’ final of the event.
In the 200m fly finals, McCurdy earned a 13th-place finish out of a field of 65 competitors after touching the wall with another time of 2:01.28. Snyder finished 24th with a time of 2:05.74.
Breaststroke
In the prelims, Derek Hren and Patrik Schwarzenbach both advanced to the ‘D’ finals heat of the 100 breaststroke, as Hren posted a time of 1:04.30 and Schwarzenbach touched the wall at 1:04.35. Both times are national meet cuts.
The Wolfpack swimmers finished 28th and 29th, respectively, as Hren stopped the clock at 1:04.16 and Schwarzenbach tabbed a time of 1:04.40 in the finals session of the event.
Backstroke
In the morning session, Hennessey Stuart earned an eighth-place finish in the 100m backstroke to earn a spot in the ‘A’ final. He stopped the clock at 55.59, marking an Olympic Trial time standard.
Additionally, Andreas Schiellerup advanced to the ‘C’ final and Jacob Siar qualified for the ‘D’ final of the event with times of 57.10 and 57.27, in respective order. Schiellerup’s time stands as a US Olympic Trial cut.
In the finals session, Stuart managed to finish eighth of 74 swimmers with a time of 55.75, while Schiellerup finished 21st with a mark of 56.84 and Siar finished 28th after stopping the clock at 57.35.
Individual Medley
McCurdy, Stuart, Soren Dahl and Justin Ress all swam national meet standard times to qualify for the finals session of the 200m individual medley. In the morning session, McCurdy touched the wall at 2:07.21 while Stuart and Ress stopped the clock at 2:07.27 and 2:07.68, respectively.
In the ‘C’ final, McCurdy finished 19th with a mark of 2:06.65 while Stuart touched the wall at 2:12.31 to earn a 23rd-place finish. Ress won the ‘D’ final with a time of 2:04.73 to finish 25th, and Dahl stopped the clock at 2:07.84 to finish 29th of 79 swimmers.
Ress bettered the Olympic Trial standard in the 200 IM finals, while the other three have previously bettered the cut.
Freestyle
Anton Ipsen placed fifth in the 1500m freestyle as he swam a time of 15:25.51. Additionally, Adam Linker finished 17th with a mark of 15:39.76 and Austin Snyder finished 34th with a time of 15:59.16.
Ipsen and Linker’s performances on Sunday met the US Olympic Trial time standard, while Snyder’s marked a national meet cut even though had previously bettered the Trial time in the event.
Up Next
NC State will return to Raleigh to host No. 3/21 Virginia Jan. 22 for its second to last dual meet of the regular season. The matchup is set for a 5 p.m. start inside Casey Aquatic Center.
Prior to the meet, the program’s senior class will be honored for their contributions to the program.
Swimming news courtesy of NC State Swimming & Diving.
ROCK ON ‘PACK!! This meets sets up some great swimming at the NCAAs! Good Luck