Former Tigers have a ball in England over weekend
Eight Gold, three Silver and two Bronze medals were won by current and former Auburn swimmers at the FINA World Short Course Championships in Manchester, England this past weekend.
Five of those gold-winning times set new world records. Eleven swimmers from the Plains competed in the championship, and former head coach David Marsh served as the United States women’s team head coach.
Former Tiger and Olympic Gold medalist Kirsty Coventry earned three world record times in the weekend’s meets. Saturday, she won the 200-meter individual medley with a 2:06.13 time, breaking the old 2:07.79 record set in 1993 by the United States’ Allison Wagner.
In Friday’s events, Coventry set the first World record of the finals session with a 2:00.91 time in the 200-meter backstroke, smashing the previous record by more than two seconds.
Her third world record and Gold medal were earned in the 400-meter individual medley in which she finished in 4:26.52. Coventry also received the Gold in the 100-meter backstroke and Bronze medal in the 100-meter individual medley.
Auburn senior Kara Denby also earned a gold medal and World record time in the 400-meter medley relay team. She swam the anchor freestyle leg and finshed with a 52.66 time. Former Tiger Margaret Hoelzer swam the leadoff backstroke leg in 58.79. Hoelzer earned the Bronze medal in the 200-meter backstroke that day.
“Swimming on a world record setting relay was simply amazing,” Denby said. “I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity and am so thankful that I got to share it with my USA teammates.”
The 17-time All-American student from Simi Valley, Calif., explained the overwhelming feelings she experienced after her victorious swim.
“Probably the coolest part was standing up on that awards podium and watching the flag go up while the anthem played,” she said. “I’m not really sure it has sunk in yet that I am a world record holder, but it’s certainly been an amazing experience!”
Fomer Tigers Bryan Lundquist and Doug Van Wie also earned Gold medals and world records in the 400-meter freestyle relay Sunday.
They, along with Ryan Lochte and Nathan Adrian, finished with a 3:08.44 time, breaking the old 3:09.57 time set by the Swedish team in 2000.
Rachel Goh, an Auburn student who took the season off to compete at the Australian Olympic Trials, earned a Silver in the 400-meter medley relay with the Australian team.
AUBURN GOLD MEDAL COUNT
Kirsty Coventry - 400 IM - World Record
Kirsty Coventry - 100 Backstroke
Kirsty Coventry - 200 Backstroke - World Record
Kirsty Coventry - 200 IM - World Record
Bryan Lundquist -400 Freestyle Relay - World Record
Doug Van Wie - 400 Freestyle Relay - World Record
Margaret Hoelzer - 400 Medley Relay - World Record
Kara Denby - 400 Medley Relay - World Record
