Packers 200-yard medley on to finals
Published 12:47 pm Friday, November 19, 2010
Austin senior Averi Splinter swims in the 100-yard butterfly Friday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis. Splinter finished the preliminaries in 15th place. — Andrew Dyrdal/Austin Daily Herald
By Andrew Dyrdal
MINNEAPOLIS — The Austin Packers 200-yard medley relay team is right where they want to be after placing 7th Friday in the Class A state semifinals at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
The team of seniors Averi Splinter, Kelli Bednar and Brooke Johnson, and sophomore Helen Heimark finished in 1 minute and 53.03 seconds, and third place in their heat.
Brooke Johnson swims in the 100-yard backstroke Friday at the Class A state meet. Johnson finished the preliminary round in 12th place. — Andrew Dyrdal/Austin Daily Herald
“We wanted to go faster but our goal was top eight,” Splinter said. “That way we can go out there tomorrow and swim.”
Packers head coach Lynn Gulbrandson said that Friday was the “pressure day” and that tomorrow the girls can try and improve their time and shoot for a school record.
“It was solid performance,” Gulbrandson said, of Friday’s semifinals. “This is the same relay team’s second year at state. Last year they were in the consolation round, this year they wanted to move up and they were able to accomplish that.”
The top eight medley relay teams compete for medals at noon tomorrow.
Heimark places 18th in 200-yard freestlye
Sophomore Helen Heimark finished in 18th place in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:00.83, just missing the top 16 cut into the consolation round.
“It’s not as well as I would have liked,” Heimark said. “I was quicker than I was at sections, though, so it was a good race.”
Splinter moves to consolation round in 100-yard butterfly
Averi Splinter finished 15th in the 100-yard butterfly Friday and will swim Saturday’s consolation round.
