East Michigan News

Seven Eastern Michigan University (EMU) swimming student-athletes are set to compete at the 2024 USA Swimming Summer Speedo Sectionals. The event will be hosted by Ohio State University at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus from Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 21.

The EMU athletes participating include Marlee Christie, Olivia Clarino, Sophie Gatrall, Ashley George, Kiersten Russell, Madelyn Sursi, and Abby Szadorski.

Christie will compete in freestyle (50y, 100y) and backstroke (50y, 100y) events. Last season she set the EMU freshman record in the 100y freestyle with a time of 50.97 seconds. Clarino will mainly compete in butterfly events (100y, 200y). In the previous season, she was close to setting a new personal record in the 100y fly.

Gatrall is slated to swim in the 50y and 100y freestyle events. She finished second in the 50y freestyle at the Michigan First Chance Meet last season.

George will participate in several freestyle events (100y, 200y, 400y, and 1,500y). Last season she placed second in the 200y free time trials at the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).

Russell will take part in both freestyle and backstroke events. She holds three top-10 times within her program: fourth-fastest for the 200y backstroke (1:58.19), fifth-best for the 100y backstroke (54.33), and ninth-best for the 500y freestyle (4:50.41).

Sursi competed in ten meets last season while setting five personal-best times.

Szadorski mostly competes in breaststroke events. Last season she recorded one of her program's best times for both the 100y breaststroke and improved her standing for the fastest time in the event’s history.

Below is a list of each athlete’s scheduled events along with their seeded times:

Marlee Christie:

- Women’s 50 Free Prelims - Seeded Time: 27.04

- Women’s 50 Back Prelims - Seeded Time: 1:06.29

- Women’s 100 Back Prelims - Seeded Time: 1:06.29

- Women’s 100 Free Prelims - Seeded Time:59.36

Olivia Clarino:

- Women’s 50 Free Prelims - Seeded Time:25.80Y B

- Women’s100 Fly Prelims - Seeded Time:1:04.79

- Women’s200 Fly Prelims - Seeded Time:2:04.41Y

 - Women’s200 IM Prelims - Seeded Time:2:10.27Y

Sophie Gatrall:

- Women’s50 Free Prelims - Seeded Time:27.70

- Women’s100 Free Prelims - Seeded Time:1:01.31L B

Ashley George:

- Women’s200 Free Prelims - Seeded Time:1:51.77Y

- Women’s400 Free Prelims - Seeded Time:5;01;14Y

- Women's1500 Free –SeededTime;17;15;31Y

Kiersten Russell:

-Women's103 Women'sBackPrelimbs–SeedTime1;58;19Y

-Women's105Women'FreePrelimbs–SeedTime27;34

-Women's203Women'sBackPrelimbs–SeedTime1;04;42

-Women's303Women'sBackPrelimbs–SeedTime1;04;42

-Women's407Women'sFreePrelimbs–SeedTime51;05Y

Madelyn Sursi:

#105Women'FreePrelimbs–SeedTime27’69

#107Women'BreastPrelimbs–SeedTime2’24’52Y

#305Women'BreastPrelimbs–SeedTime1’05’63Y

#405WomenIMPrelimbs–SeedTimE2’31’21LB

Abigail Szadorski;

#107WomenBreastPrelimbs-seededtime2 ;40 ;16 #209WomenIMprelimb-seededtime4 ;25 ;16 #305WomenBreastprelibseedtime115 ;77 #403WomensBreastprelib-seededtime115 ;77

Fans can follow along with live streaming options available online.

To stay updated on all things related to Eastern Swim and Dive team activities follow their social media accounts @emuswimanddive on Instagram,@EMUSwimDive on X,and EMU Swimming and Diving on Facebook.

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