The Ohio State Buckeyes swept an in-state home meet against Cleveland State on Wednesday, with the men winning 137-88 and the women taking a 167-61 victory on their side.
Men’s Meet Recap
The meet started off fairly competitive, in fact, in the women’s 200 medley relay. The Buckeye men won in 1:32.01, with Cleveland State not far behind in 1:33.45. That was a season-best for the young Cleveland State Vikings, and though far from it for Ohio State, the Buckeyes divided their best swimmers up among several relays, and put up four groups that were all within three seconds of each other.
Among the top individual performers for the Buckeyes in the meet was the team’s big import freshman star Ching Lim from Malaysia. He won both the men’s 200 free (1:40.09 – by almost three seconds) and the 100 fly (49.75) on Wednesday, Through two official meets thus far in his Ohio State Career, Lim now has three wins in four individual swims, and all three of those wins have come in different events (he was a 1:51.8 in the 200 fly against Cincinnati last week).
Ohio State wound up fully sweeping the day’s events (ignoring exhibitions), even without their U.S. National Team breaststroker DJ MacDonald. Chris Cowley and Jack Barone swam well in his absence, going 56.79 and 57.62 for 1st and 2nd in the 100 breaststroke, respectively.
Full men’s meet results available here.
Women’s Meet Recap
The Ohio State women put in a similarly-lopsided sweep over Cleveland State, but it wasn’t the number of wins that was a surprise, it was the name of one of the winners. Chinese freshman Zhesi Li took the women’s 100 fly in 56.78.
Li was one of the world’s most promising young prospects in the world until 2012, where a positive test for EPO led to a two year suspension. At the 2009 World Championships, at just 14-years old, Li anchored China’s 400 medley relay to gold with a 52.81 split in the 100 long course meter freestyle – an impressive split at any age, but almost unheard-of at just 14.
Li, who lists on her Linkedin profile being a “professional swimmer” from 2009-2012, has been quiet during her suspension, until this season re-emerging at Ohio State. She is swimming well, but if she can regain the form that she once had as a junior swimmer, she’ll be an NCAA-title winning threat.
Among others who swam well at the meet was backstroker Annie Gillig, who won the 100 yard backstroke in 56.69.
Full women’s meet results available here.
