Ilya Kharun, Albane Cachot Pace Arizona State in Sweep of SMU
The Arizona State Sun Devils hosted Southern Methodist in a short course meters dual meet Thursday, giving swimmers a chance to rehearse the 25-meter format in advance of the U.S. selection meet for the Short Course World Championships next week. ASU came out on top in both categories, with the men winning 210-90 and the women going up 221-79.
Ilya Kharun will seek his first spot on a U.S. national team at the upcoming trials after previously representing Canada. In this tune-up, he won the 200 butterfly in 1:51.44, and he swam a mark of 49.40 to cruise to first in the 100-meter event. Kharun led off Arizona State’s 200 free relay in 20.85, and he teamed with Tolu Young, August Vetsch and Parker Deshayes to win the race in 1:24.66.
The ASU men’s team of Nick Simons, Oliver Munn, Young and Tyler Porter opened the meet with a dominant win in the 200 medley relay, clocking 1:33.02. Simons came in first in the 100 backstroke in 50.44, and he later added a second win in the 200 back (1:52.18). Munn led the way in the 100 breaststroke with his time of 57.54 while Young topped the 50 freestyle with a time of 21.02.
Reece Grady topped the 800 free in 7:58.27, and Filip Senc-Samardzic swam a time of 47.06 for first in the 100 free. Daniel Marinov placed first in the 200 breast (2:08.76), followed by Noah Mudadu winning the 400 free (3:44.48). Senc-Samardzic picked up a second win in the 200 IM (1:58.90).
SMU got its first win from Francis Brennan in the 200 free with a time of 1:44.08, and diver Luke Sitz won 3-meter (390.75) and 3-meter (331.13).
The Sun Devil women were similarly dominant, beginning with the team of Miriam Sheehan, June Selin Tren-Hansen, Albane Cachot and Ellie Chalupsky going 1:47.00 for first in the 200 free relay. Cachot would be the top performer of the day, adding wins in the 200 free (1:56.33) and 100 free (52.55). Sheehan, Rowyn Biffart, Alyssa Albertyn and Cachot concluded the meet with a time 1:39.02 in the 200 free relay. That squad was listed as the “B” group for the Sun Devils, but Cachot’s 23.90 anchor leg made the difference to win by 0.12.
Alexa Reyna swam a time of 8:41.84 to win the 800 free by more than 16 seconds. Jordan Greber touched first in the 100 back (58.87), followed by Lucie Vasquez taking the top spot in the 100 breast (1:06.80). Julia Ullmann won the 200 fly (2:08.82) and 100 fly (57.59). Greber and Vasquez each picked up another win, Greber in the 200 back (2:09.38) and Vasquez in the 200 breast (2:24.46). Grace Lindberg led the way in the 400 free (4:11.86) while Maya Hetland swam a time of 2:12.32 for first in the 200 IM.
For SMU, Maddy Parker took the win by a tenth in the 50 free (24.87), and teammate Macey Opplinger was first in 1-meter diving (241.35) and 3-meter (248.33).