Oct. 2, 2001
SANTE FE, Argentina - Florencia Szigeti, a freshman on Arizona State's women's swimming and diving team, completed the Argentine Short Course Championships with four first-place finishes, including South American and Argentine record-setting performances, as the four-day meet concluded Monday.
Szigeti of Mendoza, Argentina, won the 200-meter freestyle in a short course South American record time of 1:59.43, while setting an Argentine record with her victory in the 100m free (56.19). She was also victorious in the 50m free and 400m free, only slightly missing the national records in each.
While her times are not eligible for ASU records, if converted into short-course-yards time (NCAA standards), Szigeti's 200 free effort would be a school record at 1:47.00, besting Michelle Thompson's 1988 time of 1:48.09 by just over a second. Her 100 free time (50.34 converted) would be No. 2 all-time at ASU, behind only Nancy Osborne (49.90, 1989).
Szigeti also placed second in the 50m backstroke (30.35) and third in the 50m butterfly.
Another current Sun Devil swimmer competing in Sante Fe, was men's sophomore Federico Martin. Martin finished second in the 100m free (51.20), third in the 200m free (1:53.07), 100m back (58.95) and 200m individual medley (2:08.69), fourth in the 200m back and sixth in the 50m free (27.08).
Also performing well was former Sun Devil and three-year NCAA All-America honoree, Pablo Abal. After setting an Argentine record in the 50m fly with a prelim time of 23.97, Abal won the event in 24.00. Abal also picked up wins in the 100m fly (55.74), 50m back (24.68) and 100m back (54.02). He finished runner-up in the 50m free (22.25) and 100m IM (55.77).
Abal is still the ASU record holder in the 100y back at 47.85, the only Sun Devil to swim sub-48 seconds.
The Sun Devils 2001-02 season draws ever closer, with an intrasquad meet scheduled for Saturday, October 13, at 3:00 p.m. at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. Admission is free.