Sections

Michigan Open to test 'M' swimmers

Invitational gives some Wolverines an opportunity to end season with a splash

By Doug Stevens
Daily Sports Writer

Throughout the Michigan men's swimming and diving season, it has been preached to the athletes that their focus should be on the big picture.

While the dual meets in the regular season and the Big Ten Championships are always nice to win, dreams of Olympic glory and national championships have undoubtedly motivated the nucleus of the Wolverines' squad.

Since October, the Michigan swimmers have endured tough, competitive workouts often before most students wake up, because they knew that when Olympic Trials and NCAAs arrive in March, it would all pay off.

However, for a certain group of swimmers, the end of the road is this weekend when the Wolverines host the Michigan Open.

In contrast to next month's festivities, which include competitions against some of the most talented swimmers in the world for Olympic berths and the nation's top teams for the NCAA title, this weekend's meet will pit Michigan against a group of unknown, even independent opponents.

"This is a (United States Swimming) meet," Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek said. "It is an all-comers meet including 11, 12, 13, 14-year-olds. It won't include any (Michigan athletes) who are going to the (U.S.) trials."

While this weekend's event is not one of the more hyped meets on the defending national champions' calendar to say the least, it will be a chance for numerous Wolverines to wrap up the season on a high note.

Of the group slated to swim in the meet, which begins tomorrow, only sophomore Owen von Richter will definitely be competing later on in the season.

Von Richter, a four-time All-American and a member of last year's NCAA-champion 800-yard freestyle relay team, is using this meet as his final preparation for the Canadian Olympic Trials. Von Richter will not be competing in the NCAA Championships because it will be held on the same weekend as the Canadian trials.

Von Richter was not able to participate in last weekend's Big Ten Championships, due to a combination of health problems and the fact that Urbanchek wants his athletes focused on the trials.

"This is von Richter's substitute for the Big Ten meet," Urbanchek said.

At the Michigan Open, von Richter will get in plenty of swimming, as he is slated to compete in the 500 freestyle, the 200 freestyle, the 400 individual medley and the 200 butterfly.

Sophomore Steve Williams, fresh off a fifth-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle at Big Tens, recording an NCAA consideration time of 15:24.38, will be swimming the 500 freestyle and 400 IM this weekend.

Junior Tom Almeida, who had a strong showing last weekend, placing 14th in the 200 backstroke, is planning on competing in the 100 butterfly and the 100 and 200 backstrokes.

Other Wolverines who will be swimming this weekend include senior Joe Janik and freshmen Dawson Hughes (100 and 200 freestyle), Jeff Flermoen (100 and 200 breaststroke) and David Stephens.

While this meet may not mean much to the team as a whole, it serves as a good opportunity for the freshmen, in particular, to get meet experience.

"(All of these freshmen) have the possibility to help the team down the road," Urbanchek said. "We don't measure success by ability to do well at Big Tens. Improving their individual times are motivation as well."