Hunter Armstrong’s Three Wins Have Ohio State Leading at Tim Welsh Classic
Olympian Hunter Armstrong won the men’s 100 backstroke and was on two winning relays to pace Ohio State to the lead after Day 1 of the Tim Welsh Classic hosted by Notre Dame.
The Ohio State men have 897.5 points in the men’s competition, which is scored as an invitational. That puts them ahead of Notre Dame with 815.5.
On the women’s side, the Fightin’ Irish lead with 832.5 points. Akron is second after a stellar opening day with 595 points with Ohio State third in 512.5.
Armstrong, the Olympian in the men’s 100 back, won that event Friday. He finished in 47.05 seconds, more than a second ahead of Notre Dame’s Kaden Smesko. Armstrong led off the 800 freestyle relay in 1:36.53, leading the team of James Ward, Alex Quach and Ruslan Gaziev to victory in 6:29.41.
Armstrong went 19.81 to lead the Buckeyes to victory in the 200 free relay, teaming with Sem Andreis, Quach and Gaziev to go 1:18.60. Their 200 medley relay finished second to Notre Dame, despite Armstrong’s leadoff leg of 21.78. They were also second in the 400 medley with Armstrong going out in 47.04. Armstrong was second in the 50 free in 19.93.
Quach claimed the 100 butterfly in 46.02 seconds and was second in the 200 individual medley. Charlie Clark won the 500 free for Ohio State, and Jacob Fielding claimed 1-meter diving.
Notre Dame won both medley relays. In the 400, Charles Korndorffer, Josh Bottelberghe, Cason Wilburn and Chris Guiliano went 3:09.00. The same 200 medley foursome went 1:25.02.
Bottelberghe won the 100 breaststroke in 52.97. Max Miranda won the 400 IM and finished second in the 500 free. Tyler Christianson won the 200 IM and was runner-up to Bottelberghe in the 100 breast.
Guiliano won the 50 free in 19.72 before finishing third in the 200 free. Second in the 200 free was Hunter Scannell, who was third in the 500. Wilburn paired second in the 200 fly with third in the 50 free.
On the women’s side, Coleen Gillilan led the way for Notre Dame. She won the 200 IM in the morning session in 1:57.67, a best time this season. She also trimmed time in the 100 fly to win in 51.76.
ND swept the IMs, with Luciana Thomas going 1-2 with teammate Sarah Bender in the 400. Thomas was also second in the 500 free. Kelly Straub scored 375.45 points to win diving.
Akron pulled the surprise, zipping its way to three relays wins. In the medleys, the foursome of Madelyn Gatrall, Paula Garcia, Sarah Watson and Sofia Henell clocked in at 3:36.16. Gatrall, Andrea Fischer, Paulina Nogaj and Hennell went 1:38.66 in the 200 medley, then Watson, Weronika Gorecka, Nogaj and Henell won the 800 free relay by more than six seconds in 7:15.19.
Gatrall won the 100 back in 53.74. Nogaj claimed the 200 free in 1:48.19. Watson finished second in the 200 IM and 100 fly.
Though the Buckeyes struggled, Ohio State claimed the 200 free relay (Katherine Zenick, Amy Fulmer, Emily Crane, Teresa Ivan in 1:30.01). Maya Geringer won the 500 free, Crane led a 1-2-3 with Zenick and Fulmer in the 50 free and Josie Panitz claimed the 100 breast.
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