Longhorn Trio, Jones Sizzle at San Antonio Grand Prix

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, November 11. AS expected, the Longhorn Aquatics threesome of Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen and Ian Crocker put on a show Saturday night as the USA Swimming San Antonio Grand Prix continued at Palo Alto College. The trio is expected to add a few more fireworks when the competition wraps up on Sunday.

Peirsol and Crocker got the night rolling on the male side with a sensational duel in the 200-yard freestyle, an event not familiar to both men in recent years, but a discipline that was part of their younger days. Trailing Crocker by a slight margin at the 100 and 150 marks, Peirsol narrowly edged ahead down the stretch and won in 1:35.68, with Crocker close behind in 1:35.73.

Crocker also took second place in the 50 free, which was won in impressive fashion by North Carolina State product Cullen Jones. Blazing to a time of 19.19, Jones easily defeated Crocker (19.87).

The world-record holder in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke events, Brendan Hansen crushed the field in the 200-yard breast by nearly seven seconds. Hansen posted a mark of 1:57.75, which was considerably quicker than the 2:04.70 performance of David Kahn. Hansen had a two-second lead at the midpoint and pulled away convincingly over the last four laps.

In the women's 200 free, Jessica Rodriguez (Longhorn) took first place in 1:47.57, with Margaret Hoelzer (Auburn Aquatics) touching second in 1:48.04. Rodriguez also prevailed in the 400 I.M. in 4:12.37. A Longhorn athlete also won the 200 breast as Elizabeth Tinnon clocked 2:14.19 for a three-second triumph. The winner of the 100 free on Friday night, Olympian Allison Wagner won the 50 free in 22.97, the only effort under 23 seconds. The men's 400 I.M. went to Agustin Magruder in 3:58.80.

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