Russell Wood won both the men’s 50 backstroke and 200 IM on the second night of competition at the Mel Zajac Jr International at the University of British Columbia.
Wood, who set the Canadian record in April posting a 25.13, took the men’s 50 backstroke in a time of 26.27. He then returned to the pool later in the evening to win the 200 IM, leading from start to finish posting a 2:05.49.
“I think this is a great meet to see where we are,” said Wood. “We just came off our Hawaii camp so we are in pretty heavy training.
“I haven’t trained this hard in a long time, so still being able to swim this fast should mean good things for the summer … for such a shallow pool [while] diving in, [26.27] is a pretty good time.”
Kierra Smith had an interesting morning. In the prelims her suit ripped at the shoulders.
The straps on my suit ripped this morning and I’ve never been more self conscious about the size of my shoulders pic.twitter.com/6BrhXBg4of
— Kierra Smith (@kierras) May 23, 2015
“I actually don’t think I’ve ever ripped a suit before, so it was totally shocking,” said Smith.
“I had a girl who was probably 13 years old helping me get the strap down – I wasn’t racing – and it ripped right on the back part. I think she turned white, ‘oh my gosh, your suit ripped.’ I told her, ‘it wasn’t going to happen.’ I tried out a new one, the Laser suit, so now I’m comfortable with it. Minor speed bump, it was fine.”
Smith returned to the pool in the evening to win the women’s 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:27.86, three seconds ahead of the field.
“I believe it went well,” added Smith, who will swim on the Mare Nostrum circuit in Europe next month prior to Pan Ams. “I’m faster than I was at this point last year. So I’m really excited about that. I’m hoping to put up a best time at Pan Ams and be ready for the worlds in August.”
At this meet last year Smith posted a 2:29.12
“I always love the Mel Zajac and was sad that I might miss out on after getting back from school [at the University of Minnesota] so I was really glad to get into the meet. It’s a really, really fun meet with a great atmosphere.”
Kevin Cordes dominated the men’s event posting a 2:16.55 finishing five seconds ahead of the field.
Three Puerto Rican swimmers came away with gold. Andrew Torres and Nicolaas Dekker were in a dead heat at the 50 meter mark, both turning in a time of 26.09, but the second half of the race belonged to Torres who posted a 54.67. Dekker finished second in a time of 55.26.
Vanessa Garcia took the women’s 50 freestyle in a time of 25.81 while Erik Risolvato took the men’s event in a time of 23.20.
Emily Overholt trailed Emma Schaz by 81 one-hundredths of a second heading into the final 50 meters of the women’s 200 IM, but eventually finished well ahead of her competition hitting the wall in a time of 2:15.33. Schaz finished second in a time of 2:16.59.
Molly Gowans and Danica Ludlow had battled for the women’s 400 freestyle title. Gowans led the race by seven one-hundredths of a second at the 200 meter mark and eventually went on to win the event in a time of 4:18.41 followed by Ludlow who recorded a 4:19.34.
Noemie Thomas took the women’s 100 butterfly in a time of 59.92 while Keegan Zanatta won the men’s 400 freestyle in a time of 3:56.72.
Full results can be found here.
The meet is a gongshow. No warm down tank, and the pool isn’t great. Last year there was cold and hot pathes if water. 2:16 is good for the meet.
Cordes in 2.16 in the 200 breast? Hopefully he can accelerate in Santa Clara.