Arizona Invitational: Lara Jackson, Nick Brunelli Win 50 Free Super Finals; Alyssa Anderson Doubles

By David Rieder

TEMPE, Arizona, May 28. THE Arizona Invitational continued on the campus of Arizona State University with more long course meters action. The highlights included the 50 free "Super Finals," consisting of the top four swimmers in prelims in both the men's and women's 50 free, and the winners earned prize money.

Tucson Ford swept the women's 50 free super final, with Lara Jackson winning in 25.84, followed by Margo Geer (26.15) and Gracie Finnegan (26.76). Sun Devil's Shannon Landgrebe completed the super final (27.14). SwimMAC's Nick Brunelli beat teammate Josh Schneider in the men's super final, 22.69 to 22.78, while Tucson Ford's Adam Small (22.84) and Masayuki Kishida (23.06) completed the heat. SwimMAC's Cullen Jones won the conventional 50 free race in 23.31. Jones and Schneider are both ranked in the top-20 in the world with times in the 22.2-range, and both finished well off those marks today.

Sun Devil's Rebecca Ejdervik won a tight final in the women's 100 breast in 1:10.86. Mesa's Breeja Larson finished second in 1:11.05, and Tucson Ford's Annie Chandler grabbed third in 1:11.34. Chandler won this event at the 2010 NCAA Championships, while Larson finished as runner-up this year.

In a final composed entirely of swimmers training at the University of Arizona, Tucson Ford's Clark Burckle won the men's 100 breast in 1:03.37. Teammates Marcus Titus (1:03.71), Kevin Munsch (1:03.78), and Carl Mickelson (1:03.80) all broke 1:04 to round out the top-four.

Tucson Ford's Maggie Meyer won the 200 back in 2:18.86. The 2011 NCAA Champion finished more than a second and a half ahead of teammate Leone Vorster, who posted a 2:20.39 for second place. Nashville's Anna Grainger came in third at 2:20.91. SwimMAC's Nick Thoman won the men's 200 back convincingly in 2:01.31. Teammate Eugene Godsoe finished second in 2:03.08, and Tucson Ford's Cory Chitwood picked up third in 2:04.78.

Tucson Ford's Alyssa Anderson dominated the 200 fly, winning by more than five seconds. Anderson clocked 2:16.07, while Nashville's Anna Grainger took second in 2:21.32. Grainger's teammate Morgan Flynn checked in at 2:24.13 for third. Anderson doubled up with a win in the 400 free, clocking 4:23.84. Sun Devil's Cassie Morrice took second in 4:25.60, about a half second ahead of Wild West's Sam Harding (4:26.05).

Nashville's Dakota Hodgson took first in the men's 200 fly, posting a time of 2:01.04 to crush Tucson Ford's AJ Tipton. Tipton finished at 2:07.45, while Sun Devil's Caleb Veazey grabbed third in 2:10.73. Veazey later grabbed the win in the 400 free, clocking 4:07.64. Fort Collins' Josh Ginsborg took second in 4:09.18, and Tipton finished third in 4:11.36.

Sun Devil's team of Tinsley Andrews, Lauren Torres, Sara Jurek, and Leticia Lelli won the women's 400 free relay in 4:03.19, while Nashville's Maclin Davis, Adam Cornett, Tate Ramsden, and Hodgson took the win in the men's relay in 3:39.72.

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