Younger Peirsol takes second in 800 free
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Hayley Peirsol, who will be a senior at
Newport Harbor High next month, finished second in the 800-meter
freestyle Friday at the Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships.
Her performance helped Irvine Novaquatics win the women’s team
championship. The Novas, coached by Dave Salo, also won the combined
team national title, for the first time in the summer event. Salo’s
men’s team, which features Newport Harbor product Aaron Peirsol,
finished second. Aaron Peirsol, the world-record holder who won
national titles in the 100 and 200 backstroke, and his younger
sister, Hayley, qualified for the U.S. national team that will
compete in the Pan Pacific Games (Aug. 24-29) in Japan. They leave
for the event Sunday.
At the Hall of Fame Aquatic Complex, Hayley Peirsol touched the
wall in a personal-best 8:30.92 in the 800 free, and came in just
behind champion Diana Munz (Lake Erie Silver Club), who finished in
8:29.02.
The 800 free national title was basically between Hayley Peirsol
and Munz, as third-place Morgan Hentzen (Industry Hills) followed in
8:39.24. Last month, Hayley Peirsol won the 800 free in 8:39.75 at
the Janet Evans Invitational.
Aaron Peirsol contributed to the Novas’ 400 medley relay team,
which finished third.
Aaron Peirsol, David Denniston, Scott Tucker and Jason Lezak
finished in 3:41.40.
Nicole Mackey, who will be a senior at Newport Harbor in the fall,
was a part of the 400 medley team that finished 19th, along with Erin
Volcan, Meredith Bryarly and Emily Silver, in 4:22.03. Mackey also
finished the 200 back in 2:25.86, for 73rd.
Ryan Lean, the Newport Harbor product who’s headed for UC
Berkeley, finished 19th in the 1,500 free. He entered the event as
the 33rd seed, but shaved six seconds off his seeded time, coming in
15:52.57.
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