TCU’s Claire Chahbandour Sets School Record at Texas’ Sterkel Classic
Claire Chahbandour became the first TCU female swimmer to break a minute in the 100 breaststroke with her time of 59.91 seconds to win the event at the Sterkel Classic Saturday.
The event, hosted at Austin’s Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, brought together several programs in the Lonestar State, while host Texas mainly swam their depth contingent. There was no team scoring in the swimming-only meet that serves as a final tune-up for Texas’ first SEC Championships later this month.
More of the second-ranked women’s team took part for the Longhorns as compared to the men. Olivia Bray went 1:46.75 to win the 200 freestyle and 1:53.31 to edge Berit Berglund in the 200 back. Meghan DiMartile claimed the 100 back in 53.95.
Grace Cooper tied a season-best in going 21.81 to win the 50 free, with Longhorn teammates Sienna Schellenger (22.18) and Alexa Fulton (22.28) following. Fulton’s 48.87 won the 100 free, with Schellenger second.
Olivia McMurray won the 400 individual medley in 4:17.39. Abby Arens was quickest in the 200 breast, and Ava Longi’s 52.28 edged Cooper for the win in the 100 fly. Campbell Stoll claimed the 200 IM in 1:57.22.
Chahbandour’s Horned Frog teammate Jordan Edwards went 2:02.22 to win the 200 fly.
Rice won both distance free events, with Ella Dyson in the mile and Ava Portello in the 500. Portello was second in the 200 free.
Texas won just four of the men’s events, led by Spencer Aurnou-Rhees, who went 1:45.57 to capture the 200 fly and 1:43.77 in the 200 IM. Manning Haskal went 15:02.17 to win the mile with Landon D’Ariano second, and Holden Smith clocked in at 46.98 in the 100 fly.
SMU won five races on the men’s side of the draw. Jack Berube went 1:35.22 in a 1-2 with teammate Jack Forrest in the 200 free. Joe Rusnock won a tight race in the 100 breast in 54.34, Jack Hoagland claimed the 200 breast in 1:56.07, Hunter Lund was quickest in the 500 free in 4:25.96 and Ward Lockhart capped the day with a 43.49 in the 100 free after having come second in the 50 in 20.00.
That left three races for TCU swimmers to take home. Nigel Forbes’ 48.12 edged Filip Suchanski in the 100 back, with Suchanski getting his win in the 200 back in 1:42.69. Jadon Wuilliez was the only 50 freestyler to break 20 seconds, winning in 19.85, with teammate Luke DiMiceli third in 20.02. He was also third in the 100, a spot behind teammate Viktor Hristov.
