UA nabs five personal-bests on day one of sectionals

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Results

JENKS, Okla. –  The  University of Arkansas swimming and diving team concluded competition on day one of the Speedo Sectional Championships in Jenks, Okla. Arkansas advanced three swimmers into the evening finals setting five personal-best times on day one.

“All three girls that advanced to the finals stepped up and raced tonight,” assistant swimming coach Todd Mann said. “Lyndsie Gibson’s 100 fly time tonight should set her up nicely for the 200 fly tomorrow as we enter day two of sectionals.”

In their biggest pick-up of the day the Razorbacks had three swimmers in the top-24 of the 100 fly led by freshman Lyndsie Gibson, who clocked a personal-best time of 56.55 in the morning preliminaries. The freshman placed her fourth and shattered her previous personal-best time of 1:00.79 which she totaled against Davidson. Gibson wasn’t done yet as she topped her personal-best yet again in the finals with a time of 55.83 for fifth overall, shaving off .62 from her morning time.

Junior Molly Milborn also represented Arkansas in the finals of the 100 butterfly after with a time of 57.53 in the morning prelims, placing 13th. In the finals, she returned and shaved off five hundredths of a second off her prelim time and in a spectacular finish out-touching the 14th-place finisher at the wall by .05. Milborn also nabbed a personal-best time in the 200 freestyle prelims where she clocked a time of 1:56.48. Junior Lizzy Whitbeck nabbed a 58.26, placing her in 20th and freshman Shelby Cox clocked a time of 58.49 to finish 24th overall, capping off the Razorbacks finishing in the top-24 in the 100 fly.

Freshman Erika McGovern picked up a personal-best in the 100 breast with a time of 1:06.66, advancing her into the ‘B’ final. In the finals, McGovern’s strong first 50 yards put her in a tie for second with a 31.07 split. She would close with a 34.79 to take third in the ‘B’ final, finishing 11th overall for a new personal-best time of 1:05.86.

Senior captain Courtney Hubbard led the way in the 200 freestyle preliminaries with a time of 1:55.72, while freshman Jordan Kimmey clocked a 4:39.14 in the 400 IM preliminaries.
The Razorbacks return to the pool for day two at the Speedo Sectional Championships.

Tomorrow’s slate will include the 200 IM, 50 freestyle, 200 breast, 100 back, 500 free and 400 medley relay.

Fans looking to follow the swimming and diving team as they compete in the Speedo Sectionals can do so by tuning in to ArkansasRazorbacks.com and following the Razorbacks on Twitter (@RazorbackSwim).


TIMES:
200 Free
30th – Courtney Hubbard – 1:55.72
41st– Molly Milborn –  1:56.48 &
75th– Sevannah Vekas –  1:59.41 &

100 Breast
Prelims
14th– Erika McGovern – 1:06.66 & *
29th – Rebekah Porter – 1:08.70 
Finals
11th– Erika McGovern – 1:05.86 &

100 Butterfly
Prelims
4th –  Lyndsie Gibson – 56.55 & *
13th  – Molly Milborn – 57.53  *
20th  – Lizzy Whitbeck – 58.26
24th – Shelby Cox –  58.49
37th  – Jordan Kimmey – 59.28 &
43rd  – Courtney Hubbard – 59.51

Finals
5th –  Lyndsie Gibson – 55.83 &
13th  – Molly Milborn – 57.48

* Indicates advancement to finals
& Indicates personal best