Kristin Brown Competes On National Scene
12/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Dec. 5, 2005
PITTSBURGH-Junior Kristin Brown (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) of the women's swimming team, spent this past weekend in Auburn, Ala. competing in her first U.S. Open. Scoring in all three of the freestyle events entered--50, 200 and 100--her trip to Auburn was enormously successful, as she finished with a championship finals swim. Brown last competed on the national scene in high school at the YMCA National Championships.
Brown, who saved her best for last, competed in the 100 free on the final day and qualified for the championship finals, where she placed seventh in the morning prelims. In doing so, Brown swam alongside some of the fastest women in the world. Excited about the finals, Brown produced a personal-best 57.63, finishing sixth overall. The swim qualified her for both the spring and summer national championships. It was her first ever long course summer national qualifying time.
"It was a great learning experience. It was exciting to compete against some of the best swimmers in the world," said Brown.
In her first event of the meet, Brown finished the morning session of the 50 free in 11th place, where she qualified for the Spring U.S. National Championships with a time of 26.99. She also earned a swim in the consolation finals, finishing with a solid 15th place effort.
On day two, Brown swam the 200 free and was once again fast enough to earn a second swim later that night. She finished the morning swim in 15th place, but slipped to 16th after a tremendous effort in the night swim.
Brown holds the school record in the 200 free (1:49.43), and the 200 (1:33.12), 400 (3:24.96) and 800 (7:25.64) free relays. She is currently ranked 24th nationally in the 200 free by Taper and Shave.