UA swimmers complete first day at Olympic Trials

OMAHA, Neb. – The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials kicked off Sunday and University of Arkansas swimmers Jamie Marks and Katie Kastes competed in their first events at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. Marks and Kastes both swam the 400m individual medley and Kastes also raced in the 100m butterfly. Marks placed 47th in a field of 82 in the 400m IM with a time of 4:54.21 which was her fastest time in that event in the last three years.Kastes touched in 68th with a 4:58.50. In the 100m fly, Kastes finished 103rd out of 137 swimmers with a time of 1:02.45. Only the top eight finishers in the 400m IM moved on to the finals in the evening. The top three qualifiers from prelims swam faster than the previous Olympic Trials record of 4:37.67. Katie Hoff, the American record-holder and top qualifier, now holds the meet record at 4:34.59 after the morning’s prelims. The top 16 swimmers in the 100m fly competed in the semifinals, with the top eight from the semifinals advancing to Monday night’s finals. Tomorrow incoming Arkansas swimmer Leah Pierce races in the 100m breaststroke and Kastes and senior Stephanie Carr swim the 400m freestyle. For more information about Arkansas swimming and diving, please log on to LADYBACKS.COM.