Less than a year and half after its groundbreaking, USC held the grand opening of the Uytengsu Aquatics Center on Friday (Feb. 21) and celebrated the historic day with the first competition at the new facility, a six-event abbreviated meet against Utah to be followed by a full schedule Saturday at noon.
Fred Uytengsu, the former Trojan walk-on swimmer and 1983 swim captain whose $8 million lead gift for the UAC was the largest ever by a former USC student-athlete, was on hand to deliver remarks along with USC Athletic Director Pat Haden, USC Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Elizabeth Garrett and senior co-captain Chase Bloch.
Making up the close to 1,000 in attendance were many former swimmers, divers and water polo players, including former NCAA title winners and Olympic gold medalists Rebecca Soni, Kaitlin Sandeno and Lenny Krayzelburg.
The Trojans won the first ever event raced in the new center as juniors Luca Spinazzola and Sergio Lujan Rivera, sophomore Maclin Davis and senior Dimitri Colupaev won the 400y medley relay in 3:10.34, just 0.45 off the pool record set in 2006. Spinazzola’s leadoff 100y back of 46.64 came within 0.09 of the pool record set in 2002.
The only event that will count toward the scoring of Saturday’s dual meet with the Utes was the 1000y free, which was captured by sophomore Ted Singley in 9:04.09. He edged Utah’s Bence Kiraly (9:05.52) while Trojan junior Cary Wright took third (9:13.07).
Trojan freshman Dylan Carter took the first of three sprints as he touched first in the 50y fly in 21.37 while sophomore Morten Klarskov was second (21.95). Junior Kevin Carroll won the 50y back (23.21) with sophomore Kevin Khojasteh second (23.30) while sophomore Ridge Altman (25.47) junior Andrew Malone (25.54) took 1-2 in the 50y breast.
USC closed the first date of competition at the UAC with a win in the 200y free relay as freshman Santo Condorelli, Carter and seniors Jack Wagner and Cristian Quintero won in 1:19.32.
Utah men’s swimming and diving finished the first day at USC with Bence Kiraly continuing to improve his school-record time in the 1,000 free with a time of 9:05.52.
The 1,000 free from today’s session is the only event counting towards tomorrow’s final score. The other five races from today were exhibition and not scored, as USC held an abbreviated meet as part of a grand opening for its new aquatics center.
Also in the 1,000 free, Kristian Kron took fourth in the event (9:15.93) with Andy Cunningham taking fifth (9:19.50). It was Cunningham’s season-best time in the event.
In exhibition, teaming together to take second in the 400 medley relay was Alex Fernandes, Ken Tiltges, Karson Applin and Nick Soedel with a time of 3:16.53. In the 50 back, Alex Brown took third (24.46) with Brendan Nguyen following (26.36). Evan Indahl took fifth in the event (24.60). Applin took third in the 50 fly (22.15) while David Fraser took fifth (22.80). The team of Soedel, Fernandes, Applin and Tiltges touched in third in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:21.23. Keanu Interone touched in fourth in the 50 breast with a time of 25.94. Kiraly took fifth (26.36) with Brandon Young taking sixth (26.44) in the event.
Tomorrow’s session will begin at 12:30 p.m. PT.
