UVa Swimming Fares Well At World University And Goodwill Games

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Sept. 7, 2001

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – University of Virginia head swimming coach Mark Bernardino led the USA men’s team to 17 medals at the World University Games in Beijing, China, while second-year swimmers Luke Anderson (Charlottesville, Va./Bolles School) and Luke Wagner (Greenwood, Colo./Regis Jesuit) helped the United States win the bronze medal at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.

Bernardino coached the USA men’s team to a swimming competition-best 17 medals, including seven gold medals at the World University Games. The swimming portion of the World University Games was held August 23-28. In addition to the seven gold medals, Bernardino’s squad also grabbed five silver and five bronze medals, and set four World University Games records. Ukraine was second in the men’s medal count with 10 total medals.

UVa second-year Gary Marshall (Bartlesville, Okla./Bartlesville) competed for the USA in the 200-meter breaststroke in the World University Games and finished 10th in the semifinals with a time of 2:17.85.

At the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia, Anderson and Wagner helped the United States win the bronze medal. The swimming events of the Goodwill Games were held August 29-September 3. Team USA defeated the European All-Stars 87-62 in the bronze medal after registering a 1-2 record in round-robin preliminary competition.

Wagner finished third in the 200-meter backstroke in the bronze medal meet with a time of 2:02.55. Anderson was fourth in the 50-meter butterfly with a time of 26.03.

In round-robin competition, Wagner won the 100-meter backstroke in the USA’s dual meet against the World All-Stars with a time of 56.89. In the same meet, he was also second in both the 200 back (2:02.49) and 50 back (26.90). Wagner and Anderson swam the lead and anchor legs, respectively, on the USA’s winning 400-meter medley relay team that clocked a time of 3:44.86 against the European All-Stars.