The UCLA swim team placed second in the four-day Pac-10
Championships at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool in Long Beach. The
Bruins placed only behind Arizona, beating out seven other
competing teams.
“The last night was magical,” UCLA coach Cyndi
Gallagher said.
Gallagher was referring to Saturday’s performances by
juniors Katie Nelson and Katie Arnold.
Nelson placed first in the 1650 free with a time of 16:18.00 to
beat USC’s Kalyn Keller, who represented the United States in
the 2004 Olympics.
Only 48 hours earlier, it didn’t seem as though Nelson or
her teammates would have the opportunity for such a strong,
dramatic finish. The Bruins were in third place, and Nelson had
finished a mediocre fourth in the 500 free with a time of
4:45.98.
As Nelson cooled down from her race, the top three finishers of
the 500 free stood on the center island as their names were called.
Two days later, the outcome would change for the better, when
Nelson placed first in the 1650 free.
“Katie had a great race strategy,” Gallagher said.
“It was her time to shine.”
During UCLA and USC’s dual competition two weeks ago,
Nelson and Keller were together the entire first 1,000 yards of the
1,650 free until Keller took the lead. But Gallagher and Nelson
agreed that Nelson’s great tunnel vision and swimming plan
helped her win the race at the Pac-10 championships.
“It gives you a lot of confidence to be that
relaxed,” Nelson said.
Arnold also helped the Bruins gain momentum on Saturday. During
that last day, in a race dubbed “inspiring” by her
coach, Arnold placed third in the 100 backstroke with a lifetime
best of 1:56.19.
That same night, senior Kim Vandenberg tied for second in the
200 fly with 1:56.77. But Vandenberg’s crowning performance
was on Friday: Ten minutes after performing well in the 100 fly,
she swam a lifetime best in the 200 free.
“Nobody does that,” Gallagher said.
Other highlights from the weekend include juniors Jeana Fuccillo
and Krista Daley both making top eight for their first times in
college. Freshman Madeleine Stanton, after suffering from food
poisoning during the first days of the event, swam 100 back on
Friday to win the A Consolation with 1:58.91.