COLLEGE STATION, Texas, May 22. IT didn't take long for Dara Torres to progress her American record in the women's 50 fly at the Texas Senior Circuit meet. Torres blasted a 25.72 during finals of the sprint event over long course meters at the College Station-based event.
She smoked the rest of the field while representing Coral Springs. Dallas Mustangs Martina Moravcova (26.85) and Angela San Juan Cisneros (27.48) placed second and third.
Earlier in the day, Torres took down the American record in the women's 50 fly with a time of 25.84. That effort cleared Jenny Thompson's 26.00 set in Barcelona in 2003. Reportedly, Torres accomplished the feat during her first time swimming fly the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Longhorn's Ricky Berens topped the men's 50 fly in 25.28, while Aggie Boris Loncaric placed second in 25.48. Longhorn's Andrew Wang touched third in 25.52.
Longhorn's Aaron Peirsol crushed the field in the men's 200 back with a swift time of 1:56.38. Mustang Matt Thompson placed a distant second in 2:01.52 with Timothy Johnson taking third in 2:04.52. Mustang Anja Carman won the women's 200 back going away with a 2:14.36. Returning from a nine-month layoff due to shoulder surgery, Aggie Kristen Heiss put together a strong second-place time of 2:17.70. Teammate Emily Neal finished third in 2:17.83.
The 100 freestyles came up next. Coral Springs' Arlene Semeco snagged the women's title in 55.82 with San Juan Cisneros taking second in 56.63. Semeco's 15-year-old teammate Lindsey McKnight finished third in 57.07. Berens earned his second gold of the evening with a 49.86 in the men's event. Longhorn teammates Garrett Weber-Gale (50.46) and Dale Rogers (50.93) placed second and third behind him.
In a close battle, McKnight knocked off Elizabeth Tinnon, 2:34.28 to 2:34.99, for the women's 200 breast title. Tucson Ford's Julie Stupp clinched third in 2:36.14. Coral Springs swept the breaststroke events when Vlad Polyakov posted a 2:16.03 in the men's 200 breast. Teammate Leopoldo Andara finished second in 2:19.40. Mustang Ed Downes completed the top three in 2:24.51.
The middle distance 400 frees followed with Leah Gingrich claiming the women's victory in 4:20.40. Heiss, on the comeback trail, took second in 4:21.37. Longhorn Susana Escobar finished third in 4:21.48. Michael Klueh took broke 4:00 to win the men's title in 3:59.68 for Longhorn. Jackson Wilcox placed second in 4:04.31 with Comet Tyler Sell taking third in 4:04.73.
In the 400 freestyle relays, Coral Springs' Semeco, Kacie Vitro, Taylor McKnight and Lindsey McKnight won in 3:59.11. In a two-team race, Mustangs Nate Clark, Caleb Veazey, Andrew Tran and Jack Beckwitt beat Alamo Area's Garrett Johnson, Alex Seward, Nick Masterson and Donnie Walker, 3:43.07 to 3:44.94.