Feb. 22, 2002
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –
The University of South Carolina men’s and women’s swimming teams continued competition on Thursday evening with the second day of swimming. Senior All-American Zsolt Gaspar repeated as SEC 50 freestyle champion, placing first with a time of 19.62. Earlier in the preliminaries, Gaspar set a new pool record with a time of 19.54 (one hundreth off his USC record). Currently both the men’s and the women’s team are in sixth place. The men’s squad is just five points behind Georgia for fifth place with 178 total points while the women’s team has 169.5 points, just ten points behind Alabama for fifth.
Gaspar and sophomore Chris McCrary finished 1-7 in the final of the 50 freestyle as McCrary finished with a time of 20.12. In the afternoon preliminary heats McCrary finished with a personal best of 19.98. Sophomore Ed Murphy swam in the consolation and finished 14th overall with a time of 20.60. Murphy also set a personal best in the prelims at 20.54.
USC continued its success in freestyle with the 200 freestyle relay team as it broke a school record. The men’s 200 freestyle relay team of Gaspar, McCrary, Javier Botello and Murphy swam a team best 1:19.66, and placed fourth overall.
Sophomore Istvan Bathazi set a personl best and placed fifth overall in the 200 IM with a time of 1:47.22, just nine one hundreths off the NCAA “A” cut.
Sophomore Tamas Szucs finished 11th overall in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:26.37. 4:26.37 is a season best time for Szucs in the 500 freestyle. Szucs led the 500 freestyle for the first 18 laps, before being passed on the final leg.
On the women’s side, the Lady Gamecocks had its best finish in the 200 freestyle relay with the team of Anna Nyiry, Heather Skaggs, Amy Vinson and Carolynn McHugh. The four swimmers finished fourth in the event with a time of 1:32.36. Anna Nyiry (23.18) finished seventh and freshman Heather Skaggs (23.18) placed ninth, as the Gamecocks scored points in the 50 freestyle. Also scoring points for USC were freshman Capi Adams and junior Kristen Butler both made the NCAA “B” Qualifying Standard with 11th and 12th place finishes respectively in the 200 IM. Adams finished with a season best 2:03.40, and Butler finished with a career best of 2:03.80. Adams time is the third best in school history for Carolina, while Butler’s is the fourth best in school history.
South Carolina will compete in six more events on Friday. Scheduled for Friday is the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 400 medley relay.
Sophomore Istvan Bathazi figures to be in competition for first place in the 400 IM. Bathazi is the defending 400 IM champion and holds one of the top times in the SEC in the event with a time of 3:48.85. Freshman Capi Adams looks to be the top scorer for USC in the women’s 400 IM.
In the 100 butterfly, senior Zsolt Gaspar and sophomore Anna Nyiry both figure to be there at the end, with a chance of becoming SEC champion. Gaspar was 100 butterfly champion in the SEC two years ago. Gaspar figures competition from Alabama’s Stefan Ghergel, who defeated Gaspar by .03 seconds in the 200 butterfly in February 2.
The 200 freestyle figures to put several Gamecocks in the running for top 16 finishes. Sophomore Tamas Szucs enters as the defending 200 freestyle champion in the SEC. Gaspar and senior Javier Botello also look to score points for the Gamecocks. On the women’s side, freshman Heather Skaggs should compete for points, as well as sophomore Jenn VanAssen.
THURSDAY RESULTS (top eight qualify for finals, 9-16 qualify for consolation finals)
Men’s 50 Freestyle Finals
1. Zsolt Gaspar, Sr., 19.62
7. Chris McCrary, So., 20.12
Men’s 50 Freestyle Consolation
14. Ed Murphy, So., 20.60
Men’s 200 IM Finals
5. Istvan Bathazi, So., 1:47.22
Men’s 200 Freestyle Relay
4. 1:19.96
Men’s 500 Freestyle Consolation
11. Tamas Szucs, So., 4:26.37
Women’s 50 Freestyle Finals
7. Anna Nyiry, So., 23.18
Women’s 50 Freestyle Consolation
9. Heather Skaggs, Fr., 23.18
Women’s 200 Freestyle Relay
1:32.36 Women’s 200 IM Consolation
11. Capi Adams, Fr., 2:03.40
12. Kristen Butler, Jr., 2:03.85
Preliminary Competition Women’s 500 Freestyle 18. Sarah Doyle, Sr., 4:59.60 28. Bronwyn Dedekind, So., 5:04.09 Preliminary Competition Men’s 500 Freestyle 11. Tamas Szucs, So., 4:28.39 (top time this season) 30. Cory Conway, Jr., 4:39.89 (top time this season) Preliminary Competition Women’s 200 Individual Medley 9. Capi Adams, Fr., 2:04.61 15. Kristen Butler, Jr., 2:05.49 30. Priscilla Humberstone, So., 2:11.62 (top time this season) Preliminary Competition Men’s 200 Individual Medley 5. Istvan Bathazi, So., 1:47.70 21. Javier Botello, Sr., 1:52.00 Preliminary Competition Women’s 50 Freestyle 7. Anna Nyiry, So., 23.25 10. Heather Skaggs, Fr., 23.35 19. Carolynn McHugh, Fr., 23.70 22. Jennifer VanAssen, Fr., 23.82 23. Amy Vinson, So., 23.83 39. Christina Hong, So., 24.70 43. Sarah Massey, Sr., 24.80 46. Diana Marino, Fr., 26.11 47. Katie Camp, Fr., 26.77 Preliminary Competition Men’s 50 Freestyle 1. Zsolt Gaspar, Sr., 19.54 4. Chris McCrary, So., 19.98 15. Ed Murphy, So., 20.54 35. Joshua Parkin, Fr., 21.39
