The Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships on Feb. 16 highlighted good performances from Hawkeye senior Emma Sougstad and freshman Thelma Strandberg.
Sougstad moved on to the A-finals in one of her favorite events, the 200 individual medley, with a time of 1:58.36. She finished fifth in her preliminary, in which Olympic gold medalist Lilly King raced a staggering 1:55.49 to snatch first place.
In the finals of that event, Sougstad raced to a 1:57.98 time to take fourth. In the race, Michigan’s Siobhán Haughey upset King in the final but was disqualified, and King continued her dominance with a 1:55.90 win.
Strandberg scored a 261.70 in her 1-meter diving preliminary, easily good enough to gain her access to the B-finals.
In the finals, Strandberg recorded a 261.50.
On the third day of the championships, Feb. 17, Sougstad was again scheduled to race against King, this time in the 100 breaststroke. Sougstad’s season best ranks fourth among the field.
Freshman Hannah Burvill was scheduled to race in the 200 freestyle. Among others, she will face Haughey, who participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
— by Carter Melrose