INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Gators closed out the 2013 Phillips 66 National Championships on a high note with 10 swimmers competing during the finals. Florida had three swimmers make the US World Championships Team that will compete in Barcelona July 27-August 4 in a total of eight events.
With her third appearance in the A-Finals this week, junior Elizabeth Beisel (North Kingstown, R.I.) grabbed second in the finals of the 200 IM after clocking in at 2:12.11. With the second place finish, the 200 IM will be her second event for the World Championships in Barcelona as she previously qualified in the 400 IM.
The men's 200 IM included former Gators Ryan Lochte and Conor Dwyer. Swimming a dominating race was Lochte, who won the 200 IM in 1:55.44 which is the fourth fastest time in the world this year. Dwyer touched second with a time of 1:57.74 to complete the Gator sweep as both will compete in the event in Barcelona.
Lochte qualified for the World Championships in a men's team high four individual events and he was also selected to swim on the 4x100 free relay. He was the high point winner for men at the National Championships with three event victories and one second place finish. Dwyer will compete in the 200 free and 200 IM at the World Championships.
Representing the Orange and Blue in the distance freestyle events were junior Alicia Mathieu (Marlborough, Conn.) and freshman Arthur Frayler (Fort Washington, Pa.). Mathieu continued to have a great meet as she swam to a dominating victory in her heat of the women's 1,500 free and finished fifth overall. Mathieu touched the wall in a personal-best 16:19.62 to scorch her previous personal-best 16:33 and set a new school record.
On the men's side, Frayler dove in for the 800 free during the finals. He clocked in with a personal-best time of 8:02.31 to finish sixth overall.
Four Gators made it into the B-Finals of their respective events. Freshman Ashlee Linn (Southfield, Mich.) stopped the clock in a time of 2:20.34 to finish 16th in the 200 IM. Then swimming in the B-Final of the men's 200 IM was junior Connor Signorin (East Windsor, N.J.) and sophomore Carlos Omana (Miami, Fla.). Signorin finished 13th with his time of 2:03.61 and Omana came in 15th after posting a time of 2:03.86.
In the 50 free, junior Brad deBorde (Longwood, Fla.) finished 12th with his time of 22.94 in the B-Final. Competing in the C-Final for the women was freshman Natalie Hinds (Midland, Texas). Hinds won the heat with a personal-best time of 25.61.
In finals action at the British World Trials, sophomore Dan Wallace (North Berwick, Scotland) competed in the men's 200m IM where he finished third with a time of 1:59.00. His time set a new Scottish National record in the event.
