2021 Eric Namesnik Memorial Open
- July 1-3, 2021
- Donald B. Canham Natatorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Long Course Meters (LCM)
- Results on MeetMobile: “2021 MI Eric Namesnik Memorial Open”
The Eric Namesnik Memorial Open took place over the 4th of July weekend at the Canham Natatorium, home of the University of Michigan Wolverines. The meet is held each year in memory of Eric Namesnik, who tragically died in a car crash in 2006. Namesnik was a two time silver medalist at the Olympic Games and runner-up at the NCAA Championships. His coach at Michigan, Jon Urbancek, once said of the late swimmer:
“He was 2nd at the Olympics, 2nd at NCAA’s, and never won anything, but he set the bar of excellence so high that nobody can touch it.”
This year’s edition of the meet was highlighted by numerous swimmers, including former Wolverine Mokhtar Al-Yamani. Al-Yamani, who has represented Yemen on the international stage, claimed first in the 200 free as well as winning prelims of the 100 free.
In his first race of the meet, Al-Yamani raced to a win in the 200 free over Bora Unalmis. Al-Yamani, who is 24 years old, won the race by over a second, touching first in a time of 1:51.90. Unalmis, who is a rising senior at Michigan, took second in 1:53.05.
In the 100 free, Al-Yamani elected to only race during prelims, where he finished with the top time. Like the 200, he won handily, touching first in 50.94 ahead of James LeBuke (51.49). Al-Yamani was only just off of his lifetime best in the race, with his current best being a 50.89 from the Pro Swim Series in Mission Viejo earlier this year. In the finals of the event, Bence Szabados would go on to take the win in 51.24.
Competing in just one individual race and one-time trial was Gabby DeLoof, who just last month narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympic team. DeLoof elected to compete in the 100 fly, where she posted a lifetime best on her way to winning the event by almost two full seconds. DeLoof touched in 1:00.87, well ahead of Noelle Kaufmann’s 1:02.76. This time would have been faster than eight of the women who competed in the event at Wave II of the Olympic Trials. DeLoof also added a second lifetime best in a time trial of the 200 back, where she touched in 2:10.71.
The meet also featured another athlete who narrowly missed making the Olympic team for the United States, Charlie Swanson. The 2020 Big-10 Conference Championship winner in the 400 IM and Olympic Trials semi-finalist, Swanson finished with the fastest time in the 200 breast last weekend. While still almost two seconds off of his best time, Swanson claimed the win in 2:12.45, just ahead of former Michigan teammate Tommy Cope.
Other Notable Performers
- One of the meets youngest competitors, 10-year old Victoria Setyabudhy swam to new lifetime bests in the 100 breast (1:20.86) and 200 IM (2:44.94).
- 15-year old Bridget McGann claimed the win in the 200 IM with a lifetime best time of 2:20.65. McGann was a multiple-event finalist at the 2021 NCSA Junior National Championships.
- 2022 University of Michigan commit and Michigan high school state record holder Brady Kendall finished with the top time in the 50 free. Kendall touched in 26.28, over a tenth better than her previous best time.
Love this meet and so happy to see it happening all these years later 🙂