Michigan
U.S. Open
Gilliam, Smith Start U.S. Open With Strong Performances
12/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Sophomores Susan Gilliam (Los Angeles, Calif./Bolles HS) and Lindsey Smith (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) of the University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team earned top-seven finishes in their respective freestyle events on the first day of the U.S. Open, held Thursday (Dec. 2) at the Palo Alto College Natatorium. Gilliam placed sixth in the 400-meter race, while Smith took seventh in the 50-yard competition.
Gilliam qualifed for the championship final with a preliminary mark of 4:19.70, which was the sixth fastest time in the morning session. In the evening final, she maintained sixth place by clocking in at 4:21.81. Gilliam's preliminary time automatically qualifies her for the 2005 World Championship Trials and the Summer National Championships.
Smith, who touched in at 26.80 for eighth place in the prelimary race, improved one spot in the finals with a seventh-place time of 26.75. Smith made a huge improvement from last year's national meet, as she placed 69th in the same event (27.32) in 2003. Smith also qualifies for next year's World Championship Trials and the Summer National Championships with her finals time.
Both Gilliam and Smith will compete in the 200-meter freestyle race tomorrow (Friday, Dec. 3), while fifth-year senior Erica Watts (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) will swim in the 100-meter butterfly event. Preliminary heats begin at 9:30 a.m. CST, and finals will begin at 6 p.m. CST.
Event Winners/U-M Finishes
(Preliminary time in parentheses if faster than finals time)
400-meter Freestyle 1. Claudia Poll, Cariari Swimming Assoc. 4:11.69 6. Susan Gilliam, U-M 4:21.81# (4:19.70!^#) 50-meter Freestyle 1. Laura Nicholls, Pickering Swim Club 26.14
7. Lindsey Smith, U-M 26.75!^# # NCAA consideration time ^ World Championship Trials cut ! Summer National Championships cut
N O T E S
The U.S. Open is a long-course event and races are measured in meters. All of the Wolverines' other meets this season have been on a short course and have been measured in yards.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
