Pitt swimmers won a pair of events on the final night of Speedo Sectionals in Buffalo, New York, and the Panthers added several more top-3 finishes to cap off the weekend.
The highlight for Pitt was the men’s 200 breast, where Luke Nosbisch and Alexander Cook went 1-2. Nosbisch closed what’s been a great weekend for him by going 2:19.83 to run away from the field. Cook’s 2:20.97 was the next closest contender, and the duo beat John Gartland‘s 2:21.31 as the top trio separated themselves from the field by over four seconds.
Pitt’s Kaleigh Ritter also won the women’s 1500 free by a solid margin, going 17:09.12 to Clearwater 17-year-old Morgan Smith‘s 17:14.24.
The men’s distance race of the day was the 800 free, won by Samuel Rutan in 8:30.01. Rutan, of Allegheny North, beat Mason Revis (Mandell Jewish Community Center) by just over a second.
Indiana’s Justine Ress added another win to her weekend, going 2:16.32 in the 200 back. Ress already won the 100 back earlier in the weekend. Behind her was Big Ten foe Kathryn Rowe, a Penn State Nittany Lion who’s had a great weekend of her own, competing for the Schenectady Saratoga Swim Club.
Albany Starfish 18-year-old Ryan Gordon won the men’s race in 2:04.93, just beating Zachary Hoeltin of Long Beach.
Dina Rommel had a strong swim in the 50 free, powering away for the Town of Tonawanda Titans for the win. Her 26.33 outpaced Mount Lebanon’s Kathryn Ford (26.63) and Pitt’s Dani Des Tombe (26.69).
Meanwhile in the men’s race, Team Suffolk’s Justin Plaschka showed his speed, going 23.40 for the win. Yet another Pitt Panther, David Sweeney, was second in 23.66.
The women’s 200 breast went to Duquesne’s Miriam McGeath in 2:39.69, the only gal under 2:40. Pitt’s Camille Dixon was second.
Full results are available on Meet Mobile under “2014 Speedo Summer – July.”
