CeraVe Invitational: Elizabeth Beisel Dominates First Night

For full results, recaps, live broadcast, on-demand videos and photos from the meet, go to the CeraVe Invitational Event Landing Page

Reporting by special Swimming World student reporters Jackie Korey and Joe Cusmano.

Special thanks to Swimming World student cameramen Taylor Rosenbauer, Christopher Rattray and Justin Scholar for help during the live and on-demand webcast of this session. Sam Duren served as the staff photographer this evening.

PISCATAWAY, New Jersey, January 15. THE first night of long course meter action at the CeraVe Invitational featured Olympian Elizabeth Beisel winning four events while knocking out 1,400 meters of swimming during the final session.

Women 800 Free
Elizabeth Beisel, 17 of Bluefish Swim Club, clenched first place with a time of 8:44.12.

"I never really swim this race," said Beisel, when asked about her strategy. "My goal was to negative split it, make the second 400 faster than the first. I haven't swum this race in maybe 3 years! "

Beisel, the heavy favorite in the event, took the lead early on in the beginning and maintained her lead throughout the race.

Coming in second place, Nicole Vernon, 16 of Deleware Swim Team, went 8:55.73, while Kacie Ciampoli, 17 of Germantown Academy Aquatic Club rounded out the top three with a time of 9:01.22.

Men 800 Free
Arthur Frayler, 16, of Germantown Academy Aquatic Club clocked in at a 8:25.37, a Junior National time, to secure a first place finish. "We're in the middle of training, and I didn't feel too great. I just wanted to cruise it," said Frayler.

A second place finish was snatched by Luca Spinazolla, 17 of Bluefish Swim Club. He finished with a time of 8:28.38, also a Junior National time. Third place was snatched Matthew Velecanech of Jersey Wahoos Swim Club with a time of 8:37.14.

Women 100 Breast
Delaware Swim Team's Annie Nunes, 15, won the 100 Breast with a SAAT time of 1:15.42.

When asked about her strategy for the race, Nunes said, "I wanted to take it out strong and try to just bring it home."

In second place following Nunes, Scarlet Aquatic Club's Kristine Ng, 15, went a sectional time of 1:16.88, while third-place finisher, Bluefish Swim Club's Gabrielle Shishkoff, 17, went the sectional time of 1:17.79.

Men 100 Breast
Ian Clark, 25, Suburban Seahawks Club clocked in at 1:07.03, a Junior National time, more then two seconds faster then his prelims time this morning. "I felt pretty good," said Clark. "I never do the race unless I've been training. I wanted to stay smooth the first fifty, and have my tempo not too high, so I could do well the second fifty."

Rob Power (1:07.70) of Suburban Seahawks just barely out-touched Eric Materniak (1:07.99) of Delaware Swim Team to secure a Junior National time and a second place finish.

Women 200 Free
For the second time tonight, Bluefish Swim Club's Elizabeth Beisel, 17, won a CeraVe event. Beisel swam a Senior National cut time of 2:02.52.

"I'm so happy!" she said, when asked if she was satisfied with her time. "I was really surprised, especially coming off the 800 free. I thought it was going to hurt, and it did hurt, but I think it was my best in-season time."

Beisel and the other swimmers kept in a pack during the first hundred, but Beisell pulled ahead to win the event.

Coming behind her, Bluefish Swim Club's Anna Senko (2:06.30) and Bianca Spinazzola, 15, (2:06.60) took second and third place, respectively.

Men 200 Free
Connor Signorin, 17, of Peddie Aquatic Association swam more then two and a half seconds faster then his prelims time this morning. Signorin placed first with a time of 1:53.28.

"I always have strategy," Signorin said. "I wanted to go out with the field, my second fifty have a good turn-over, my third fifty use my legs more, and my fourth fifty give it everything I've got." Signorin, still out or breath from swimming just one second off of the meet record goes on to comment on his Senior National time, "I'm happy with the time, but I think I can go faster."

Jack Wagner (1:53.60) of Long Island Aquatic Club clocked in more then five seconds faster then prelims this morning, achieving a Junior National time. Following Wagner was Scott Heil (1:56.91) of Eastern Express who swam more then a second and a half faster then his prelims time this morning, gaining him an SAAT time.

Women 100 Fly
Peddie Aquatic Association's Carolyn Fittin, 16, came in first place and earned a Junior National cut time, going 1:02.83.

"I felt tired on the way back," Fitten said. "But I felt good off the blocks. My arms are sore now! I'm happy with my race. I did better then this morning."

Both second-place winner, Bluefish Swim Club's Anna Senko, 17, who swam a 1:04.29 and third-place winner, Bgc-N. Westchester Marlins' Morgan Karetnick, 15, who went 1:04.12, earned SAAT cut times.

Men 100 Fly
Nimrod Hayet, 19, of Peddie Aquatic Association, clocked in with a 56.70, almost two seconds faster then his prelims time this morning.

"I didn't feel so good. My strategy was to just go out as fast as I can". Hayet swam a Junior National time.

Louis Arruda, 26, of Bluefish Swim Club swam a 58.20, and Gordon Clifton touched right behind Arruda with a 58.67, both SAAT times.

Women 200 IM
Bluefish Swim Club's Elizabeth Beisel, 17, won her third CeraVe event this evening, and earned a Senior National cut time by going 2:16.16.

Behind Beisel, Delaware Swim Team's Kaitlyn Jones (2:21.48), 15, and teammate Nicole Vernon (2:24.85), 16, got second and third, respectively.

Men 200 IM
Ian Clark of Suburban Seahawks Club coasted to his second victory of the night with a Senior National time of 2:06.19. Clark crushed the competition, finishing more then four seconds faster then his speed time, and more then four seconds faster then his nearest competitor.

Swimming an event before the 200 IM made him, "A little bit more tired. I was hoping I was going to go faster." Clark went on to comment about his race saying, "Backstroke wasn't as fast as I would have liked." Overall, "It was a pretty good time for this point in the season." Clark also went on to say, "Last meet this season, I went a 2:04. I'd like to get closer to that time, but I had a good race."

Following Clark for a second place finish was Nimrod Hayet of Peddie Aquatic Association. He clocked in with a 2:10.20, a Junior National time, more then two seconds faster then his prelims time this morning. Sneaking in for third was Jack Wagner of the Long Island Aquatic Club, with a time of 2:11.41, an SAAT time.

Women 800 Free Relay
Bluefish Swim Club's Bianca Spinazzola, 15, Anna Senko, 17, Elizabeth Beisel, 17, and Alex Frasier, 17, won the 800 relay, swimming a sectional time of 8:36.63.

"We're happy with our relay time. We never really swim relays, though," said the team. "The events were really close, so we were all feeling a little tired."

Long Island Aquatic Club's Emily Kelly, 17, Megan Zarriello, 17, Julia Festa, 17, and Sarah Schlichte, 18, snatched second place with a sectional time of 8:43.40. In third, Berkeley Aquatic Club's Rebecca Delafuente, 17, Kelly Pontecorvo, 18, Stephanie Koziol, 16, and Lauren Ross, 17, also swam a sectional time of 8:55.63.

Men 800 Free Relay
Long Island Aquatic Club's A Relay, (8:03.76), which consisted of Michael Lennon (1:59.58), Nickey Lowell (2:01.75), Nick Spinella (203:15), and Jack Wagner (1:59.28), swam to a first place victory, to finish Friday night of finals with a 8:03.76.

"We wanted to look good and close the night in style," said the LIAC winning relay team. With some of their hardest swims behind them, the team said that, "Tomorrow's not as bad as today."

Badger Swim Club's A Relay, which consisted of Ben Itzkowitz, Chris Lyons, Will Rappaport, and Alex Gianino finished second with a sectional time of 8:04.79. Following the Badger's was Scarlet Aquatic Club's A Relay clocking in for third with a sectional time of 8:09.00.

Elizabeth Beisel Interview

We heard that you have a Swimming Barbie. Is that true?
Yes! When I made it to the Olympics [2008, Beijing], my friend bought me an Olympic Barbie. She forgot to give it to me, so she gave it to me for Christmas. It's kind of a joke with my swim team. Her name's Theresa and she has Olympic rings on her bathing suit. She comes to swim meets with us.

How did you prepare for today's meet?
I slept! A lot! We drove down yesterday, so last night I slept for 10 hours. Then today, after prelims, I took a two hour nap. That's a great thing about swimming: a lot of naps!

What are your expectations for the rest of the weekend?
I really just want to finish this meet! The events are really close together, which is hard. There's not a lot of time between races and not a lot of time to warm up and cool down. Plus, we've just come off a training trip. There's no real pressure.

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