Ohio State Women Dominate Tim Welsh Classic; Notre Dame Men Win
Ohio State’s women’s team dominated at the Tim Welsh Classic hosted by Notre Dame, taking all five relays and up to the top seven spots in a pair of events.
The Buckeyes scored 1,635 points in the four-team women’s event, nearly double the return of runner-up Akron. The Zips edged Notre Dame by one point in 821, with Indiana State fourth.
On the men’s side, Notre Dame, the 12th-ranked team in the nation, edged No. 14 Ohio State, 1,721-1,563.
The Ohio State women were just about unstoppable, winning 16 of 18 events, including all five relay. The pinnacle of their dominance came in the 50 freestyle and 400 individual medley, each of which saw the Buckeyes post the top seven times. Ohio State also went 1-2 in the 200 free, 400 medley and 200 medley relays.
Katherine Zenick was part of all five winning relays. Amy Fulmer was on four, Teresa Ivan on three.
Ivan won the 50 free in a tremendous race, going 22.24 to get to the wall first. Zenick was second in 22.29 and Fulmer was third in 22.30.
Fulmer went 51.76 to win the 100 backstroke. Zenick won the 100 free in 48.30 and was third in the 100 butterfly. Maya Geringer swept the 500 (4:45.85) and the 1,000 free (9:36.55). The latter was a winning margin of 17.5 seconds over teammate Mia Rankin, who was fourth in the 500.
Josie Panitz won the 200 individual medley. Kyra Sommerstad won the 400 IM ahead of Rankin, then finished second to Jessica Eden in the 200 fly. Hannah Bach swept breaststroke. Libby Gilbert won the 200 free. Janie Boyle was second in both diving events.
Notre Dame waited until Day 2 for its first swimming win, which came courtesy of Madelyn Christman’s time of 1:53.27 to edge Fulmer in the 200 back. Ellie Jew finished third in both breaststroke events. The Irish did well in diving, Grace Courtney scoring 315 points on 1-meter to win. Calie Brady’s 367.40 was tops on 3-meter. Each of the Irish divers finished third in their other event.
Abby Daniel got Akron on the board with her time of 51.71 seconds to win the 100 fly. She was also second in the 200 IM and second in the 100 free. Weronika Gorecka was third in both backstroke events.
Indiana State’s lone podium finish came in the 200 free courtesy of Erin Cummings, who went 1:48.96 to finish .23 behind Gilbert.
On the men’s side of the Tim Welsh Classic, Notre Dame’s stroke depth led its victory. The Irish took home the top five spots in the 100 fly and the top four in each backstroke event.
Chris Guiliano won the 100 fly in 46.03 seconds ahead of Cason Wilburn, Tate Bacon, Tommy Janton and Tanner Fillion. Guiliano anchored two winning medley relays and led off wins in the 200 free and 400 free relays.
Guiliano also led the way in the arguably the race of the day, the American international going 41.77 in the 100 free to edge Canadian Olympian Ruslan Gaziev’s 42.04.
Lucas Logue was first in the 100 back in 46.82 ahead of Bacon and Kaden Smesko. Janton’s time of 1:40.42 claimed the 200 back ahead of Fillion, Marcus Gentry and Smesko. Janton was and Willbur were part of all four relay wins.
Tyler Christianson added two wins, doing the breaststroke double. He also swam on both winning medley relays.
Fillion edged teammate Dillon Edge in the 200 IM. Luka Cvetko went 20.03 to edge Gaziev in the 50 free. Daniel Knapp won both diving events, the 1-meter a 1-2 finish with Ben Nguyen.
Ohio State’s strength came in the distance events. Charlie Clark went 4:18.54 to win the 500 free ahead of Alex Axon, the Buckeyes taking the top six spots. Clark was the winner in the 1,000 free in 8:49.68, with Sam Campbell second and Axon fourth. Axon also won the 200 free ahead of teammate Shaw Satterfield. Alex Metzler won the 400 IM in 3:49.43, .01 ahead of teammate William Bansberg. Chachi Gustafson won the 200 fly.
Ohio State got a relay win in the 800 free with Tristan Jankovics, Gaziev, Axon and Satterfield.