University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Swimmers Complete Action at 2006 Grand Prix
5/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Jennings competed in the 800 freestyle in the final day of the Grand Prix. Jennings finished 12th in the 800 freestyle with a time of 9:05.18. Hayley Peirsol won the event when she touched the wall in an Olympic qualifying time of 8:43.44. Jennings touched the wall in a time of 2:05.11 in the 200 free, Saturday, finishing 10th out of 112 swimmers and second in the B Final. Kara Lynn Joyce won the B Final with a time of 2:02.31, while Erin Reilly (2:01.12) and Natalie Coughlin (2: 02.68) finished first and second overall in the event. Jennings started the Grand Prix by placing eighth overall in the 400 free. Swimming with the Boulder Swim Club, Jennings touched the wall in a time of 4:23.15. Kirsten Groome won the event in a Olympic qualifying time of 4:15.20. Jennings placed eighth overall among 90 competitors in the event.
Shaughnessy competed in two events in the final day of competition. Shaughnessy finished 33rd in the 200 back in a time of 2:28.54 and 41st in the 100 free in 1:00.32. On Saturday, Shaughnessy placed 20th overall with a time of 5:05.65. She qualified for the C Final with a preliminary time of 5:09.66. The Rochester, Minn., native also competed in the 200 free Saturday and finished 45th out of 112 in 2:09.69. Shaughnessy competed in the 200 individual medley Friday night and clocked a time of 2:26.50 and finished 30th out of 120 participants.
Ten U.S. Olympians headlined the list of athletes slated to compete at the Grand Prix, including individual Olympic medalists Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Ian Crocker and Erik Vendt. This meet is named in honor of former Michigan swimmer and assistant coach Eric Namesnik, who died on Jan. 11, 2006, after sustaining critical injuries in an automobile accident. Namesnik, who was a two-time Olympic silver medalist, served as the assistant coach at the University of Michigan from 1997-2004.
