Mexico Fills Swimming Roster For Worlds at National Championships

MEXICO CITY, Mexico, May 3. THIRTEEN Mexican swimmers will attend the FINA world championships this summer after posting qualifying times this week at the Mexican nationals.

Three current or former Texas A&M Aggie swimmers topped the roster, as Erica Dittmer will swim the 200 IM and 50 breaststroke after winning those events with times of 2:16.43 and 32.46. Both swims were faster than the FINA B qualifying standard in both events, which is good enough for a country to submit just one swimmer per event. Dittmer was born in the United States to an American father and Mexican mother, hence the ability to represent Mexico internationally, which she first did at the 2012 Olympics in the 200 IM. Dittmer almost broke her national record of 2:16.39 in the 200 IM but was able to lower her national mark of 32.57 in the 50 breast.

Also set to represent the Aggies and Mexico in Barcelona will be Liliana Ibanez, who won the 100 free with a 55.93, just missing her national record of 55.71 but faster than the FINA B standard of 56.78. She also qualified in the 200 free with a 2:01.02, under the FINA B cut of 2:02.90.

After two missed opportunities in the 50 and 100 butterfly finals, Rita Medrano, who completed her eligibility at Texas A&M in 2012, got under the B cut in the 200 fly with a winning time of 2:13.82, just getting under the qualifying time of 2:13.91.

Susana Escobar, a standout swimmer for the University of Texas from 2006 to 2010, qualified for the team by winning the 400 free with a 4:15.39, well under the FINA B cut of 4:18.55.

Ana Daniella Carillo qualified for worlds with a win in the 100 breaststroke with a 1:10.97. Dittmer, who did race the 100 breast this week, still holds the national record with a 1:10.69. Patricia Castaneda got under the FINA B cut in the 1500 free with a 16:50.67, while Esther Gonzalez got on the roster with a 2:31.68 to win the women's 200 breast and dip under the FINA B cut of 2:33.06.

Maria Fernanda Gonzalez qualified in all three backstroke events, posting a 29.55 to win the 50 backstroke, 1:01.93 in the 100 back and 2:14.49 in the 200 backstroke.

On the men's side, Arturo Vertti broke two national records in qualifying for worlds. His first record came in the 400 free with a 3:54.04, under his old mark of 3:55.25. Then he swam an 8:06.57 in the 800 free, breaking the record of 8:07.30 held by Ivan Lopez since 2006. He also qualified in the 1500 freestyle with a 15:26.20 to beat the B standard of 15:46.38.

Four other men were added to the roster as well. Ezequiel Trujillo scored a spot on the world championship team with a 2:02.48 to win the men's 200 backstroke and barely get under the FINA B standard of 2:02.63, along with a 4:26.43 in the 400 IM, under the B cut of 4:28.05.

David Oliver won the men's 50 breast with a 28.92, faster than the B cut of 28.98, and the 100 breast in 1:02.60 to beat the qualifying time of 1:02.99. Miguel Robles won the 200 IM with a 2:03.40, under the B standard of 2:04.19, while Ramiro Ramirez took the men's 200 fly with a 2:00.99, under FINA's B cut of 2:01.13.

Though not qualifying for the world championships, Luis Ramirez broke Anival Rodriguez's national record of 26.790 in the 50 backstroke with a 26.58. Daniel Zabdiel tied Rodriguez's record in placing second.

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