Lopes garner three bronze medals at Winter Nationals

Wednesday, November 30

Atlanta, Ga.

All Day

Grand Canyon

USA Swimming AT&T Winter Nationals

12/4/2016 7:48:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving

By: Lisa Amsler

ATLANTA – The Grand Canyon swimming team wrapped up a successful four-day competition against some of the world's top swimmers at USA Swimming's AT&T Winter Nationals, earning a slot in the finals of six individual events and nine relays.

Day 1

Estela Davis Ortiz, Alyssa Christianson, Rebecca Hakansson and Jovanna Koens earned the women's team their first U.S. National medal with an eighth place finish in the 200-yard medley relay. Their time of 1:43.92 is the fastest in the WAC for that event so far this year.

Mark Nikolaev, Bogdan Plavin, Daniil Antipov and Jacob Lambros placed fourth in the men's 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:28.78.

Day 2

The men's team shined in the 400-yard medley relay swam by Nikolaev, Viktor Kertesz, Antipov and Lambros. Their time of 3:13.16 landed them a spot on the podium with a third place finish.

The women's medley relay team from Day 1 continued their success, posting the fastest time in the WAC in the 400-yard medley relay as well and a ninth place finish (3:45.94).

Bogdan Plavin finished ninth overall in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 19.85, the second fastest time in the WAC this year.

Day 3

Antipov placed fifth overall in the 100-yard butterfly (47.11), an individual season best and fastest time in the conference while Nikolaev was back up on the podium to receive a bronze in the 100-yard backstroke (45.92).

Ortiz's time of 54.15 in the 100-yard backstroke was a personal best and the top time in the WAC this season.

The men's and women's 200-yard freestyle relay teams finished Day 3 strong with a fourth place finish (men) and 10^th place finish (women) overall. Ortiz, Celine Schoemans, Hakansson and Koens swam the event in 1:35.49 while Plavin, Nikolaev, Antipov and Lambros' time of 1:19.40 was just a few tenths of a second shy of a bronze medal.

Day 4

The men's team earned another bronze medal in the 400-yard freestyle relay with the women posting the top time in the WAC and finishing seventh in their respective event (3:26.29).

Eran Ber and Nikolaev both found themselves a spot in the 200-yard backstroke finals, with Nikolaev tying his personal best time of 1:42.99 and finishing fourth overall. Alyssa Christianson also walked away with a personal best in the 200-yard breaststroke. Her time of 2:13.79 was the fastest in the conference as well.