Alabama
US Short National Championships
Mark Randall Earns Bronze at USA Short Course National Swimming Championships
12/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Dec. 4, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama junior swimmer Mark Randall finished third in the 500 freestyle on day one of the USA Short Course National Championships being held in the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center this weekend.
"Mark had another outstanding day," Alabama head coach Eric McIlquham said. "This time against a very fast field that included some of the nation and world's top distance swimmers."
Randall posted a season-best time of 4:17.34, coming in just behind the Michigan duo of Matt Patton and Tyler Clary. The Tide distance ace shaved half a second off his previous best this season, which led the nation coming into the weekend. Sophomore Catalin Cosma shaved five seconds off his season-best time, touching the wall at 4:26.03 to finish 13th at the championships.
The 400 medley relay of senior Chris Perry, junior Riley Boulden, sophomore Denes Zubcsek and freshman Joe Ziegler finished 11th with a time of 3:17.47. Perry led the Tide off with a time of 48.71 in the 100 backstroke, just off his career-best time. The Tide's 200 freestyle relay, comprised of Perry, Boulden, Ziegler and senior Alin Mihalca took second in the consolation finals and 10th overall with a time of 1:22.73.
The Tide women finished 10th in the 400 medley relay when juniors Allyson Angle, Maggie Zblewski and Hannah Brinks combined with sophomore Ida Persson to post a time of 3:44.79. Angle's 56.50 leadoff 100 backstroke time was just off her career-best time. The 200 freestyle relay of Persson, junior Brooke Baldi, Zblewski and sophomore Kelsie Ludolph finished third in the consolation finals and 11th overall with a time of 1:33.83.
The Crimson Tide returns to action on Friday with the 200 medley relay, 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and the 100 backstroke. Preliminaries get underway at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Players Mentioned
