Tate Jackson, Drew Kibler Hit 49 in 100 Free at Longhorn Invite

2019 LONGHORN INVITE

• January 17-19, 2019
• Austin, TX
• Results
• LCM

With the Pro Swim Series happening in Knoxville this year, rather than the typical Austin destination, attendance is fairly low at this meet. While some events had A, B, C, D finals, others had only an A and B. Still, plenty of fast swims came out of night 1 of the 2019 Longhorn Invite.

Texas senior Tate Jackson had a great swim in the 100 free, winning it in 49.20, which is the third-best time amongst Americans this season (only Michael Chadwick and Nathan Adrian have been faster at 48.57 and 48.59, respectively). Not far behind him was freshman Drew Kibler, who went 49.88, followed by freshman Daniel Krueger (50.72) and sophomore Jake Sannem (50.98).

That’s the fifth-best performance ever for Jackson, and his fastest in-season long course swim ever. The last time he swam this in long course in January was in 2016, at the Austin PSS, where he was 51.64. It was Sannem’s best time, meanwhile, and Kibler was six tenths off of his own best.

Texas Longhorns Evie Pfeifer and Josh Artmann swam to wins in the 200 back. Pfeifer was 2:13.54, a tenth off of her lifetime best of 2:13.44 from 2016. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Ana Herceg of Nitro Swimming had a great swim to take 2nd. Herceg, who came into the meet with a 2:16.35 best time from this past summer, dropped down to a 2:14.90 for a new best by over a second. Artmann, in the men’s 200 back, went 2:01.83 to win by over four seconds. He went a lifetime best of 1:59.48 at Nationals last summer.

The women’s 200 breast was a great showdown between a former Texas Longhorn and three Texas A&M Aggies (two current and one former). Madisyn Cox, who has been training post-grad in Austin, won the tight race in a 2:27.30 ahead of Aggie junior Anna Belousova (2:27.56). A&M senior Sydney Pickrem was 2:27.68, just behind, with Bethany Galat, who has been training post-grad in College Station, was 2:28.34. They were all close to cracking the world top 10, where 10th is a 2:27.01.

Will Licon of Longhorn Aquatics went 2:10.81 to take the men’s race, winning easily. He now shoots into the World Top 10, tied for 7th and 3rd amongst Americans.

The Aggies finally got a win with A&M sophomore Taylor Pike in the 200 fly. Pike was 2:11.93, slamming down a 33.10 final 50 to roar past Texas’s Remedy Rule (2:12.54). Rule led the field by almost a full second at the 150 mark. Aggie post-grad Sarah Gibson was 2:13.95 for third. In the men’s race, Clark Smith of Longhorn Aquatics posted a 1:58.85, ahead of Texas frosh Andrew Koustik (1:59.89).

The 100 free went to Aggie post-grad Beryl Gastaldello on the women’s side at 55.56, right ahead of A&M senior Claire Rasmus (55.71) and Longhorn junior Claire Adams (56.09). Notably, neither Grace Ariola nor Julia Cook, UT’s star freshman sprinters, raced this event.

In the mile, Aggie Joy Field topped the women’s race at 16:41.05 while Longhorn Jack Collins posted a 15:50.96 to win the men’s race by over twenty seconds.