July 24, 2011

Meet Results

Bronx, N.Y. -
While a good deal of the country was going to swimming pools to cool off in a record-setting heat wave this weekend, Fordham junior swimmer Brienne Ryan had a slightly different motivation at the Lehman College APEX Pool in the Bronx and was rewarded with a qualifying time for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials.

Competing in the Senior Metropolitan Long Course Championship on Saturday, Ryan competed in the 100-meter backstroke against 87 other competitors, setting the pace with the top preliminary time of 1:04.29, bettering the second-best preliminary time by 1.44 seconds.

"I was actually really excited for another chance to swim it in finals. Coach Aimee (Bryers) told me I was only 0.3 seconds short of the trials cut and I really felt that I could go faster," said Ryan.

Ryan came back in the finals to better that mark, winning the event in a U.S. Olympic Trial qualifying time of 1:02.98, close to three seconds better than the second place finisher Daphne Skelos (1:05.82).

"I was surprised to see that I had dropped over a second from that morning's swim, but I was and am beyond excited. It feels unreal to qualify for a meet this big," said Ryan.

Asked about what was going through mind following the race, Ryan said she was immediately looking in stands for one set of people.

"Getting out of the pool after every race I still look for my parents in the stands. They have been to every meet since I was five years old, even the small club meets that didn't mean anything. It means so much to me that they want to be there for me and support me more than anyone else. They are so excited for me and I don't think they realize how happy I was to have them there."

Based on current qualifiers for the U.S. Olympic Trials, Ryan is tied for 37th with her time on Saturday. The U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials will be held June 25 - July 2, 2012 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Ryan, who holds both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke records at Fordham, is the first Fordham swimmer to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials since Keanan Faruq did so in 2000. He also qualified in the 100-meter backstroke.

"Fordham has a great swim program. My coaches and teammates have been really supportive and being able to represent them, and Fordham, at the trials will be totally awesome," said Ryan.

On Sunday, Ryan just missed posting her second U.S. Olympic Trial qualifying time in the 200-meter backstroke. She finished second overall in 2:18.42, missing the qualifying time by 0.43 seconds.