U.S. Nationals Day Two: Bohunicky, Burckle and Ramirez Conclude Finals Session
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 | Women's Swimming & Diving
After earning gold in the 400 IM and a trip to Rome, Italy, for the FINA World Championships on day one of the 2009 U.S.A. Swimming Nationals/World Trials, former Gator Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) turned around Wednesday to claim bronze in the men's 200-meter free at the IU Natatorium at IUPUI in Indianapolis.
Lochte clashed with friend and swimming rival Michael Phelps in finals of the 200 free, finishing third with a time of 1:45.66 behind second-place finisher David Walters (1:44.95) and gold medalist, Phelps, who turned in a 1:44.23. Lochte's top-four finish puts him into contention for the men's 800-meter freestyle relay in Rome.
A total of five current and former Gators represented the Orange and Blue in the evening session on the second day of U.S. Nationals, aiming to finish high enough for a berth on team U.S.A. which will represent the United States at the 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome July 26- Aug. 2. A detailed description of the U.S. World Championship Team selection procedures can be found here.
Incoming Gator freshman Jamie Bohunicky (Gainesville, Fla.) clocked a 2:01.90 in the women's 200-meter free prelims and returned to swim the C evening final, where she placed 19th overall (2:01.94). Tuesday's 400-meter free bronze medalist, Caroline Burckle (Louisville, Ky.), tapped in at 18th (2:00.65) in the women's 200-meter free morning session and returned Wednesday to swim the C final.
Florida sophomore Lily Ramirez (Gainesville, Fla.) improved upon her prelims mark in the 100-meter back (1:03.16) to clock a 1:03.09 in finals, finishing 22nd overall in the 24-woman field. With her time, Ramirez jumped onto Florida's all-time top 10 list in the event.
2009 graduate Rex Tullius (Port Orange, Fla.), representing the Daytona Beach Swim Club, rallied for a career-best 54.81 finish in prelims of the men's 100-meter backstroke. Tullius returned to swim the A final in the evening session, again lowering his career-best mark, tapping in at 54.33 to place eighth overall.
Joining Lochte in the 200-meter free morning preliminaries, Gators Jeff Raymond (Davie, Fla.) and Logan Storie (Corvallis, Ore.) clocked in at 1:51.98 and 1:52.96 to finish 35th and 44th.
In women's 200 free action, four other Gators competed alongside Burckle in Wednesday's first session. Bohunicky (2:01.90), sophomore Teresa Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa.) (2:02.99) and seniors Liz Kemp (Potomac, Md.) (2:04.32) and Sara Peterson (Franklin, Tenn.) (2:05.65) rounded out the field.
Ramirez led the way for Florida in the women's 100-meter backstroke, recording the highest finish with a 1:03.16, placing 24th and advancing to the C evening session final. Crippen and Peterson finished 30th (1:03.70) and 63rd (1:05.39), respectively.
Matt Norton (Port Orange, Fla.) closed out the morning session, swimming a 2:08.01 200-meter butterfly race, placing 38th overall.
U.S. Nationals/World Trials Day Two Evening Session Results
FLORIDA WOMEN
Jamie Bohunicky 200-meter freestyle, 2:01.94, 19th overall
Caroline Burckle 200-meter freestyle, TBA
Lily Ramirez 100-meter backstroke, 1:03.09, 22nd overall
FLORIDA MEN
Ryan Lochte 200-meter freestyle, 1:45.66, 3rd overall (Bronze Medalist)
Rex Tullius 100-meter backstroke, 54.33, 8th overall
U.S. Nationals/World Trials Day Two Preliminaries Results
FLORIDA WOMEN
Caroline Burckle 200-meter freestyle, 2:00.65, 18th (advances to C final)
Jamie Bohunicky 200-meter freestyle, 2:01.90, 27th (alternate – advanced to C final)
Teresa Crippen 100-meter backstroke, 1:03.70, 30th
200-meter freestyle, 2:02.99, 43rd
Liz Kemp 200-meter freestyle, 2:04.32, 58th
Sarah Peterson 100-meter backstroke, 1:05.39, 63rd
200-meter freestyle, 2:05.65, 72nd
Lily Ramirez 100-meter backstroke, 1:03.16, 24th (advances to C final)
FLORIDA MEN
Ryan Lochte 200-meter freestyle, 1:46.51, 4th (advances to A final)
Matt Norton 200-meter butterfly, 2:08.01, 38th
Jeff Raymond 200-meter freestyle, 1:51.98, 35th
Logan Storie 200-meter freestyle, 1:52.96, 44th
Rex Tullius 100-meter backstroke, 54.81, 9th (advances to A final)
Gator fans can follow Thursday's sessions online here or visit www.UniversalSports.com/swimming for highlights, full-length videos and photos. UniversalSports.com and swimnetwork.com will provide a live webcast each evening of the Swimming National Championships finals, from July 7 – 11, at 6 p.m. ET. Two-time Gold Medalist Mel Stewart will be hosting a 30 minute preview show at 5:30 p.m. ET before each day of competition only on-line.
-UF-
