Freshmen step up in sweep

Saturday, January 5

Riverside, Calif.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

California Baptist/Wyoming

Photo by: Deb Schaffer

1/6/2019 10:43:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving

Results

Lopes open 2019 with wins over California Baptist, Wyoming

By: Nathan Okonek

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The Grand Canyon men's swimming and diving team started 2019 with impressive victories, defeating California Baptist 175-125 and Wyoming 157-143 on Saturday. The men won 11 of their events against the Lancers and Cowboys.

"These were great wins to start off 2019 for us," Lopes head coach Steve Schaffer said. "Our first-year men made the difference for us. Today really showed our talent and depth."

The Lopes got off to a fast start, winning the first event of the meet, the 200-yard medley relay. The relay team of Mark Nikolaev, Asahi Nagahata, Daniil Antipov and Mazen Shoukri finished first with a time of 1 minute, 31.34 seconds.

Alonso Carazo Barbero followed up the relay victory for the Lopes by winning the 100 freestyle with a time of 9:37.90. Carazo Barbero finished off one of his best meets of his freshman year, finishing second in the 400 individual medley.

In the 200-yard freestyle, GCU claimed the top two finishers, as Samuel McKenzie won the event with a time of 1:40.39, while Antipov finished second (1:40.72).

Nikolaev continued his winning ways in 2019, winning the 100 backstroke with a time of 49.38 and the 200 backstroke (1:50.32).

Antipov won the 100 butterfly with a time of 47.66 and the 200 butterfly in 1:50.82.

Bogdan Plavin and Florent Janin earned the one-two punch, as Plavin won the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.46, while Janin finished right behind in second (20.99).

In the 100 freestyle, McKenzie picked up his first victory of 2019, winning the event in 45.99. Janin finished in third with a time of 46.16.

The Lopes were victorious in the final event of the day, winning the 400 freestyle relay. McKenzie, Janin, Plavin and Nikolaev propelled the Lopes with a winning time of 3:02.66.

"McKenzie, Carazo Barbero, Dylan Nasser and Janin all had significant swims for us," Schaffer said. "Mazen Shoukri got injured early on, so the freshman and our senior group of Plavin, Antipov and Nikolaev stepped up to pick up the victories for us."

In the 1-meter dive, Pietro Hufnagel Toscani took second with 281.15 points. Nick Benson finished behind in fourth (243.00). In the 3-meter dive, Benson finished in second with 284.70 points, with Hufnagel Toscani finishing in third with 274.00.

"This was a good way to start 2019," Schaffer said. "We have a quick turnaround as we head to BYU next weekend. They will be a good test."

The Lopes head to Provo, Utah, next weekend as they take on BYU. The meet will begin at 10 a.m. (Phoenix time).

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