UVA Freshman Kate Douglass Wins 200 IM/50 FR On Day One of Trojan Invite

2019 USC Trojan Invite

• Oct. 4-5, 2019
• Uytengsu Aquatics Center
• Los Angeles, CA
• Day One Results

The 2019 Trojan Invitational hosted by USC swam its first of 3 sessions on Friday night. The meet is following the NCAA 3-day championship event lineup, except that there are no prelims and finals, with each event run taking place in a single session. There were a few tweaks, especially with relays, where on night 1, teams swam 4×25 relay events. The meet is a combination of collegiate and professional swimmers, with USC playing host to competitors from Virginia, UC San Diego, CSU Bakersfield, and pro swimmers from Trojan Swim Club and Team Elite San Diego.

Friday’s evening session featured the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, as well as 100-yard free and medley relays. In the medley relays, Virginia swept both the men’s and women’s events. During the free relays to close the evening, the USC women and Team Elite men swam to victories.

Among the NCAA athletes and pro club swimmers, five group B ISL members participated in Friday’s events. Among the top finishers, LA Current members Anastasia Gorbenko, Kendyl Stewart, Michael Chadwick, and Dylan Carter along with NY Breakers signee Jacob Pebley made waves in the pool. The group B ISL swimmers’ first match will take place October 19-20 in Lewisville, Texas.

More Session One Highlights

In the women’s 500 free, Virginia’s Paige Madden took a dominant victory with her top time of 4:38.67, just 3 seconds off the NCAA A Cut. Finishing in second place was multi-time open water world medalist Haley Anderson of Trojan Swim Club (4:42.39). Hopping over to the men’s 500 free, Trojan’s Cristian Quintero held off Virginia’s Jack Walker by 0.23s to win the event. Quintero swam 4:18.23 and Walker was 2nd in 4:18.46. USC’s Victor Johansson also finished in the top 3 with his time of 4:19.50.

Virginia newcomer Kate Douglass once again showed her powerful versatility on Friday with her double event wins in the 200 IM and 50 free. Douglass first won the 200 IM with a time of 1:55.15, holding off USC’s Tatum Wade (1:58.37) and Virginia teammate Abby Richter (1:59.24). Last season, Wade had the fastest October time nationally, a 1:57.89 at this meet. Douglass is already almost 3 seconds better than that this year. In fact, the only other time we could find for a swimmer going this fast in October of a collegiate season was in the 2017-2018 year, where Ella Eastin and Kathleen Baker each went 1:53.24 at the College Challenge meet that pitted the top Pac-12 collegiate swimmers against the USA Swimming National Team. Finishing fourth was 16-year-old Israeli record-holder Gorbenko (1:59.66).

Into the women’s 50 free, Douglass was once again on top with her top time of 22.12. USC’s Marta Ciesla took second with 22.21 and Team Elite’s Stewart was in the top 3 with a 22.50.

Switching gears into the men’s IM, Team Elite’s Pebley took the win with a time of 1:46.06, just holding off Virginia swimmers Casey Storch (1:46.88) and Sean Conway (1:47.99).

Dominating the men’s 50 free sprint were Team Elite 1-2-3 finishers Chadwick (19.67), Carter (19.75), and Artyom Machekin (19.96). Among the pro swimmers, the top NCAA swimmer in the event was USC’s Nikola Miljenic, taking 7th with a time of 20.22.