PHOENIX, Arizona, March 25. THE water has calmed down at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, where the Georgia Bulldogs won the women's Division I swimming and diving team title, their first since 2005. Georgia's strength was very evident in freestyle, where they scored an average of 44 points in the five freestyle events, including an amazing 61 in the 200 free.
The meet was overall slower in 2013 than it was in 2012, with only two events seeing major records broken. Georgia, using Canadian Chantal van Landeghem, set a US Open and NCAA record in the 400 free relay with a 3:09.40, while Arizona set an American record placing second with a 3:10.63.
Elizabeth Pelton broke her own American record in the 200 back for the third time this season, swimming a 1:47.84 in the final. Pelton was awarded swimmer of the meet for that effort, as well as placing second in the 200 IM, and second in the 200 free.
If you missed any of our live coverage of the meet, you can go to our college channel at swimmingworld.com and read all our recaps. Plus, you can watch video interviews with many of the top swimmers and coaches on the meet's landing page at swimmingworld.com.
The men's championships begins Thursday in Indianapolis, and it's likely to feature a great battle between defending champion California and the University of Michigan, who has not won a team title since 1995. Nine of the individual events will feature returning champions, giving us the chance to see new champions in the other four individual events. We'll be on deck covering it all for you on swimmingworld.com and swimmingworld.tv.
Mireia Belmonte is all set to lead the Spanish team to the world championships, set to start this summer in Barcelona. Belmonte will swim six events: both IMs, the 200 fly and the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyles. Belmonte won two silver medals in the 2012 Olympics in the 200 fly and 800 free, and will be looking to win her first long course world championships medals.
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