Meg Fisher and Brian Landry of the University of Maine have been selected as the America East swimmers of the week following the Black Bears’ recent meet against Bates College of Lewiston.
“To have two Maine swimmers named Swimmers of the Week by America East is very exciting. I do not remember the last time that two of our swimmers were recognized in the same week,” remarked University of Maine interim head coach Suzie Lizzotte.
Fisher, a graduate student from Carmel, Ind., won the 200 butterfly (2 minutes, 10.7 seconds) and the 100 butterfly (59.4) in addition to swimming on two winning relays against Bates.
“Her performances exceeded expectations. I am very excited about what she can do in February at the America East Conference meet,” said Lizzotte, who noted Fisher’s butterfly times were her fastest in college competition.
“She has her underwater technique working for her. And, she is swimming her races very aggressively. She can get herself going quickly in a 100-yard distance and she is able to maintain the momentum necessary to swim a 200,” Lizzotte said of Fisher, who completed her undergraduate studies in three years.
Landry, a sophomore from Yorktown, Va., was honored after winning the 200 individual medley (2:04.9), 200 breaststroke (2:17.4) and the 100 breaststroke (1:02.7) against the Bobcats.
“He is a great kid who always is a hard worker who does everything we ask. His 200 IM time was his fastest unshaved time and he has worked hard on his stroke count in the breaststroke races,” Lizzotte said of Landry, who also serves in Maine’s Reserve Officer Training Corps.
After first-semester America East competition, Maine freshman Yuri Chornobil is ranked fourth in the 1,650-meter freestyle (16:27).
“Yuri is very talented. We are working on pacing his races. He works very hard and is exciting to watch in the water,” said Lizzotte.
Lizzotte last week announced the return of two of the Black Bears’ speedy freestylers. Jeremy Bender and Kevin Staples both were studying internationally during the first semester. Earlier this week, she announced the return of junior David MacDonald, a sub-1:50, 200 freestyler.
“The return of these three second semester will really strengthen us,” Lizzotte stated.
Bangor divers leading Class A
The most recent release of interscholastic season statistics by Ritchie Palmer, swim statistician for the Maine Principals’ Association, notes Bangor High divers as the leaders in Class A.
Actually, Rams divers Meg Rowe, Ashley Higgins and Julie Clifford are ranked first, second and third, respectively, among the girls based on their six-dive point totals. And, Tim Smith leads the Class A boys diving field. In fact, he is ranked ahead of last year’s defending Class A gold medalist.
“As a group they are supportive and encouraging of one another. They push one another and are willing to change their technique,” explained BHS diving coach Jaret Lizzotte who, prior to coaching at BHS, coached the divers at UMaine.
“We are pounding the basics, leaving the board straight and entering the water straight. What happens in between we hope is appealing to the judges,” Lizzotte continued.
As Lizzotte noted, though, the state meet is an 11-dive competition where divers must execute both required and optional dives. “In practice, they want me to judge. They want to learn.”
Unsinkable Marin Morrison
A “must read” for all swimmers appeared in the December 14th edition of Sports Illustrated. The article, The Games of Their Lives, recounts the life of the late Marin Morrison, a swimmer for Swim Atlanta, one of the nation’s premier programs.
Described as a swimmer with unlimited potential who projected as racer at the 2008 Olympic Trials, Morrison became seriously ill. While limiting her physical skills, her illness never extinguished her spirit.
It was her spirit that led her to compete in the Beijing Paralympics. SI writer Jon Wertheim powerfully profiles her struggle, captures the power of the human spirit and stirs the reader of the article to reflection.
Wells sets three more records
Talented Maine interscholastic swimmer James Wells of Morse High has already set three state records this season.
Wells, who will attend Indiana University next year, established a 100 backstroke record of 50.7 seconds in a Dec. 28 competition. Earlier in the meet, Wells raced to a state record in the 50 free (21.1).
In a Dec. 8 meet against Cony of Augusta, Wells lowered his state 100 freestyle record to 46.6.
Since February 2008, 255 world swimming records have been set, according to FINA, the international governing body for swimming.
Officials attribute the unprecedented number of records on “technology suits.” It will be interesting to follow the pace of the world records in 2010 since, effective today, bodysuits and racing suits made of non-textiles are banned.