By Dan D’Addona.
The Texas A&M swim teams opened the Art Adamson Invitational with big leads on Thursday.
The Aggie women scored 390 points on the first day, followed by Stanford (325), Arkansas (105), LSU (102), Arizona State (94), Boise State (65), Utah (55), Hawaii (49), SMU (16) and Incarnate Word (2).
In the men’s meet, Texas A&M scored 425, followed by Utah (296), LSU (192), Hawaii (106), Air Force (94), Incarnate Word (43), SMU (34), Stanford (13).
The Aggie women started strong as Beryl Gastaldello, Raena Eldridge, Golf Sapianchai and Kristin Malone won the 200 freestyle relay (1:28.37), edging Stanford’s Janet Hu, Ally Howe, Lauren Green and Lauren Pitzer (1:28.52).
Katie Ledecky won the 500 freestyle in 4:27.84, finishing 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Claire Rasmus (4:37.30), of Texas A&M.
The Aggies went 1-2 in the 200 IM as Sydney Pickrem winning in 1:53.38. Lisa Bratton was second (1:55.20).
Gastaldello won the 50 freestyle (21.69) ahead of Hu (21.91) and Bratton, Jorie Caneta, Jing Quah and Gastaldello won the 400 medley relay (3:29.47) edging Stanford’s Howe, Kim Williams, Hu and Ledecky (3:29.54).
Arkansas went 1-2 in 3-meter diving. Brooke Schultz won with 370.95 points ahead of teammate Nicole Gillis (323.75).
Utah’s Paul Ungur, Rodolfo Moreira, Liam O’Haimhirgin and Clay Stoddard won the 200 freestyle relay (1:18.09). Rahiti De Vos won the 500 free (4:16.81). Ungur won the 50 (19.57).
A&M’s Brock Bonetti won the 200 IM (1:43.21). He teamed with Mauro Castillo Luna, Jose Martinez and Adam Koster to win the 400 medley relay (3:07.29).