July 28, 2012
LONDON, ENGLAND -
Three former Cal men's swimmers competed in Day One of the swimming competition at the London Olympics on Saturday (July 28). Dominik Meichtry, who swam for the Golden Bears from 2005-08 and is competing for his native Switzerland, placed eighth in his heat of the 400 free with a time of 3:51.34 and did not advance.
Cal had two swimmers compete in the heats of the 100 breast on Saturday. Damir Dugonjic (2008-11), a three-time NCAA champion in the 100 breast, placed seventh in his heat with a mark of 1:00.77 for his native Slovenia. Martin Liivamagi (2009-12), who helped David Durden's Cal squad win its back-to-back NCAA team title in March, was fifth in his heat with a time of 1:01.57 for Estonia. Unfortunately both Dugonjic and Liivamagi failed to advance to the 100 breast semifinals.
Bear swimmers will have a busy day on Sunday, July 29 at the Aquatics Centre. USA standout Nathan Adrian (2007-11), the 2012 Olympic Trial winner in the 100 free, will be swimming in the 400 free relay for Team USA. Adrian will be battling for an Olympic medal against Milorad Cavic (2003-06) of Serbia and former Cal teammate Graeme Moore (2008-11) of South Africa.
Moore's South African team will be in lane three in Heat One of the 400 free relay, while Adrian's American squad will in lane five and Cavic's Serbian team will be in lane eight in Heat Two.
Other Bears in the pool Sunday will Mathias Gydesen (2009-12) and Cal sophomore Marcin Tarczynski competing in the heats and hopefully the semifinals in the 100 back. Tarczynski was the 2012 NCAA champion in the 200 IM this past March.
Meichtry, who is competing in four individual events in London, will be swimming in the heats and looking to advance to the semifinals in the 200 freestyle.
Fans will be able to watch Olympic Swimming on NBC at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, July 29.
