The Stanford University swim program, current and past, wrapped up an impressive showing on the final day of the Santa Clara International Grand Prix on Sunday at the George F. Haines International Swim Center.
Cardinal senior Bobby Bollier (200 fly), and Stanford grads Elaine Breeden (200 fly) and Eugene Godsoe (100 back) all won bronze medals on the final day of the meet, the final seventh and final stop on the 2010-2011 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series.
Stanford had seven swimmers, past and present, medal over the four-day event. Breeden also won a silver in the 100 fly, Maya DiRado had a silver in the 400 IM, Alex Coville earned a silver in the 50 free and Matthew Swanston a bronze in the 200 back.
Bollier held off the rest of the six-man 200 fly field while Australian Nicholas D’Arcy (1:55.39) edged world recordholder Michael Phelps (1:55.40) for gold in the 200 fly. Bollier had the top prelim time (1:58.92), before finishing third with a time of a personal best of 1:57.90. D’Arcy’s time was the fifth-fastest in the world this year.
Sacred Heart Prep senior Tom Kremer of Peak Swimming had his best event, winning the consolation heat in 2:02.11 while finishing 10th overall.
In the women’s 200 fly, Breeden finished third (2:08.14) behind Kathleen Hersey (2:06.89), who posted the world’s sixth-fastest time, and Australian Stephanie Rice (2:07.54). Stanford freshman Andie Taylor was seventh (2:10.61).
Palo Alto High senior Jasmine Tosky was sixth in the 200 fly in 2:09.98, her highest finish of the meet.
Godsoe, another alum, was one of five Cardinal swimmers in the top 27 of the 100 back, finishing third (55.66) to New Zealand’s Daniel Bell (54.70) and American Ryan Lochte (55.22). Current Cardinal Matthew Swanston was sixth (56.35) ahead of Canadian teammates Matt Hawes (seventh) and Charles Francis (eighth). Current Cardinal Matt Thompson (56.70) and alum Tobias Oriwol (56.78) were 12th and 13th..
In another heavily attended Cardinal race, Stanford placed eight in one of three 200 IM finals. Cardinal grad Julia Smit was seventh in the finals (2:14.20) while DiRado won her second consolation final of the weekend for ninth overall (2:13.83), ahead of Kate Dwelley (2:16.07) for 12th, Felicia Lee (2:16.92) for 14th and Sam Woodward (2:19.37) for 17th.
Ariana Kukors won the 200 IM in a world-leading 2:09.53. Tosky originally was entered with the No. 12 seed, but chose to not swim after a long and busy weekend.
In the final individual event of the day, Taylor caught and past Savannah King for fourth place in the 800 free with a time of 8:41.28.
Stanford swimmers are also scheduled to swim at the Janet Evans Invitational on July 15-17, the World Championships, July 16 to 31 in Shanghai, China, the USA Swimming ConocoPhillips National Championships at Stanford’s Avery Aquatics Center, Aug. 2-6, and the World University Games, Aug. 14-19 in China.
Missy Franklin, 16, was named the champion of the 2010-2011 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series. Franklin also took home the meet’s high-point award for female swimmers in Santa Clara. Lochte was the men’s high-point award winner.
Franklin will be presented with the Grand Prix Series trophy at USA Swimming ConocoPhillips National Championship. As a high school student with collegiate eligibility, Franklin is unable to receive the Grand Prix Series prize money of $20,000.