DCST National Resutls (Day 1)

The Kishwaukee YMCA / DeKalb County Swim Team (DCST) started out the 2008 YMCA National Championships in College Park, Maryland with a big splash.  On the first day of competition, DCST had 10 lifetime best performances in the preliminary session out of 14 swims.  Three of these swims finished in the top 16 during prelims, and qualified for the final session.  In the final session, all three DCST swimmers lowered their previous best times as they all placed higher in the final standings.

Grant Alef was DCST highest placing finisher on the first day.  He dropped 2.54 seconds in his 100 meter Backstroke in prelims to finish 7^th.  In finals, he dropped another 0.67 seconds to finish 6^th.  Emily Launer placed 15^th in the Women’s 400 Freestyle in prelims after dropping 3.12 seconds.  With her additional 2.34 second time drop in finals, she moved up into 12^th place.  David Gordon also finished 12^th in Men’s 400 meter Freestyle.   He lowered his previous best time by 3.70 seconds in prelims to finish tied for 14^th prior to his additional 0.94 second time drop in finals.  Grant, Emily and David earned National All-American honors for the performances.  This was the third time Emily and David had been named National All-Americans in their careers and the second time for Grant.

DCST set new 5 team records on Tuesday including all three of DCST’s swims in finals.  The two additional new team records were set by Grace Waller in the 200 meter Individual Medley, and Grant Alef’s 50 meter backstroke lead off split in the relay.

In the relay events, DCST also had some huge time drops.  In the Men’s 200 Medley Relay, the team of Alef, Michael Gordon, Zach Jones and Cory Page dropped 5.67 seconds to finish 19^th.  DCST’s Women’s 200 Medley Relay team of Emily Waller, Grace Waller, Katie Hallenbeck and Launer finished 24^th after dropping 3.66 seconds.

                In the team scoring after the first day, DCST’s Men rank 16th, their Women rank 30th, and in the Combined Team Scoring they rank 17th.  The National Competition continues for another three days.

Complete DCST Results from the first day of competition (Tuesday, July 29^th)

Women’s 100 meter Backstroke

                Emily Waller- 1:09.83 (31^st)

Men’s 1000 meter Backstroke

                Grant Alef

                                Prelims – 1:00.91 (7^th) NEW DCST TEAM RECORD

                                Finals – 1:00.24 (6^th) NATIONAL ALL-AMERICAN, NEW DCST TEAM RECORD

                Chad Thompson – 1:05.91 (66^th)

Women’s 400 meter Freestyle

                Emily Launer

                                Prelims – 4:36.39 (15^th)  NEW DCST TEAM RECORD

                                Finals – 4:34.05 (12^th) NATIONAL ALL-AMERICAN, NEW DCST TEAM RECORD

                Valerie Jones – 4:42.05 (34^th)

                Kate Taylor – 4:42.10 (35^th)

Men’s 400 meter Freestyle

                David Gordon

                                Prelims – 4:16.91 (Tied 14th) NEW DCST TEAM RECORD

                                Finals – 4:15.97 (12^th) NATIONAL ALL-AMERICAN, NEW DCST TEAM RECORD

Women’s 200 meter Individual Medley

                Grace Waller – 2:28.62 (19^th) NEW DCST TEAM RECORD

Men’s 200 meter Individual Medley

                Michael Gordon – 2:20.99 (50^th)

                Chad Thompson – 2:25.12 (83^rd)

                Zach Jones – 2:25.15 (84^th)

Men’s 50 meter Freestyle

                Cory Page – 26.63 (114^th)

Women’s 200 meter Medley Relay

                Emily Waller, Grace Waller, Katie Hallenbeck, Emily Launer – 2:07.44 (24^th)

Men’s 200 meter Medley Relay

                Grant Alef, Michael Gordon, Zach Jones, Cory Page – 1:54.50 (19^th) – Grant’s 50 Backstroke lead off time was a NEW DCST TEAM RECORD