Day 1: TYR Fall Classic at FIU

Friday, October 5

Miami, Fla.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

TYR Fall Classic presented by Swiss Timing @ FIU

Photo by: Deb Schaffer

10/5/2018 3:18:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving

Day 1 Results

GCU trail men's leader Army by 2 points

By: Nathan Okonek

MIAMI -- The Grand Canyon swimming and diving teams wrapped up Day 1 of the TYR Fall Classic Presented by Swiss Timing at Florida International on Friday.

The men finished Friday in second place with 244 points, trailing Army by two points. The women's team is in fourth with 175.5 points, behind Army (190), Florida International (203.5) and Florida Gulf Coast (229.5).

"We got off to a good start today," Lopes head coach Steve Schaffer said. "Our times are ahead of where we were this time last year. Our new swimmers are stepping up and equaling or exceeding the times of some very good seniors who graduated."

A full Thursday of travel did not slow GCU, as the 400-yard medley relays started the season strongly.

The women's relay of Brigit Van Der Vegte, Marina McInelly, Emily Muteti and Diana Jaruseviciute started the meet for the Lopes, finishing in third with a time of 3 minutes, 51.67 seconds. The men's relay of Mark Nikolaev, Alonso Carazo Barbero, Daniil Antipov and Mazen Shoukri won in a time of 3:17.54, beating the runner-up by six seconds.

In the women's 200 freestyle, Roaia Mashaly finished with a time of 1:52.49, earning a second-place finish and 17 points for GCU. Samuel McKenzie finished in fifth place for the men with a time of 1:42.74.

In their collegiate swimming debuts, Hannah Barker and Carazo Barbero placed in the "A" Final of the 400 individual medley. Barker finished in eighth for the women with a time of 4:43.26 and Carazo Barbero was fourth for the men at 4:07.51.

Antipov picked up where he left off last year, winning his first race of the season. Antipov swam the 100 butterfly in 48.72 to edge the runner-up by one-tenth of a second. For the women, Muteti tied for fifth with a time of 57.69.

After contributing to a first-place relay finish in his first collegiate event, Shoukri made the most of his first individual event, winning the 50 freestyle in 20.60. Jaruseviciute also finished high for GCU, taking third in 24.18.

Nikolaev, a 2017-18 All-America honorable mention, was back to his winning ways with a victory in the 100 backstroke (47.33).

Van Der Vegte followed her relay contribution with her first collegiate individual race, a third-place finish in the 100 backstroke (57.78).

In the final event of the day, the GCU men's 200 freestyle relay of Shoukri, Florent Janin, Antipov and Nikolaev won with a time of 1:21.86. The women's relay team of Kyra Forrest, Mashaly, Kenya McCray and Jaruseviciute placed third (1:37.02).

In the women's 1-meter dive, Menna El-Midany finished second in the "A" final with a score of 252.10. Tasmin Stewart took 5th in the "B" final (197.40).

Pietro Hufnagel Toscani won the "A" final of the 3-meter dive with a score of 275.90. Nick Benson competed in the "B" final, finishing 10th (248.40).

"I'm very impressed with this team," Schaffer said. "It's a tough task to travel across the country, arrive at the hotel at midnight, swim a morning practice and still compete as well as they did this evening."

Both teams will resume competition Saturday morning at the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center.

"We have a couple of good team battles with Army set up," Schaffer said. "With the men just two points behind Army for first place and the women 11.5 points behind Army for third, it will be fun to see how (Saturday) plays out. I am excited to see our student-athletes respond after Day 1 and compete."

TYR Fall Classic at FIU Event Schedule Day 2

Saturday, Oct. 7 (8 a.m. Phoenix time)
200 Medley Relay
500 Freestyle
200 Breaststroke
200 Backstroke
100 Freestyle
200 Butterfly
200 IM
400 Free Relay
Women's 3 Meter / Men's 1 Meter

For live results and video, click here.

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