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Sept. 9, 1999
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — University of Virginia swimmers accounted for eightmedals during national and international swimming meets this summer.Cavalier swimmers won two medals at the World University Games and six atthe Pan Am Games. In addition, Virginia had eight finalists in events atthe Phillips 66 USA Swimming National Championships, while another swimmerparticipated in the Pan Pacific Games in Sydney, Australia.
At the World University Games, held in Mallorca, Spain, in July,first-year Cara Lane (Charlotte, N.C./Providence H.S.) won gold medals inthe 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyle for the USA. Lane won the 800 witha time of 8:42.62 and clocked a winning time of 16:32.04 in the 1500.Fourth-year Doak Finch (Southern Pines, N.C./O’Neal) represented Virginiaon the USA men’s team and finished sixth in the 200-meter butterfly with atime of 2:01.96.
Virginia swimmers won six medals, including two golds, at the PanAm Games, held August 2-7, in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada). Second-year EdMoses (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock) set the Pan Am record in winning the goldmedal in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:00.99. Moses swam thefifth and sixth fastest times ever in the 100 breast, and is only thefourth person to break the 1:01 barrier in history. Moses also won asilver medal as part of the 400-meter medley relay team that posted a timeof 3:40.57.
Fourth-year Austin Ramirez (Brookfield, Wisc./BrookfieldCentral) earned a silver medal by placing second in the 400-meter freestylewith a time of 3:53.64. Shamek Pietucha (Edmonton, Alberta/Louis St.Laurent) won three medals, a gold, a silver and a bronze, while swimmingfor Canada. The 1999 Virginia graduate captured the gold medal in the200-meter butterfly with a meet record time of 1:59.10. Pietucha earned asilver medal in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 53.40. His bronzemedal came in the 400 medley relay as Canada touched in 3:41.04.
Pietucha placed eighth in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:00.00 atthe Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Sydney, Australia, on August 25.Representing Canada, Pietucha finished 15th overall in the 100-meterbutterfly with a time of 55.40 seconds on August 27, but failed to advanceto the finals.
Virginia had eight finalists, among 19 competitors at the Phillips 66 USASwimming National Championships, held August 6-10, at the University ofMinnesota. Moses won the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:01.21 andtrialed in the 200 breast, posting a time of 2:13.41. His time would havewon the event, but he could not continue competing in the USA Championships because he wasparticipating in the Pan Am Games.
Ramirez competed in three finals, the200 and 400 freestyle, as well as the 5K Open Water. His best finish was afourth place in the 5K Open Water event in which he turned in a time of47:18. Ramirez was sixth in the 400 freestyle with a time of 3:55.54 andfinished eighth in the 200 free with a time of 1:52.16. Third-year JamieGrimes (Olney, Md./Sherwood) was right behind Ramirez in the 5K Open Water,placing fifth with a time of 47:18. Grimes was also seventh in the 1500free at 15:38.72.
In addition to the World University Games, Lane competed in the 800freestyle at the USA National Championships. She was sixth in the 800 freewith a time of 8:46.81. Melanie Valerio, a 1991 Virginia graduate who swamin the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, competed in the 100 free and finishedeighth with a time of 56.89 seconds.
Ramirez will conclude the summer events for Virginia swimmers bycompeting for Team USA in the Bank of America U.S. Olympic Cup againstGreat Britain and France on September 11-12, at UC-San Diego.