Aherne 3-peats in IM
Jack Nicholl
Issue date: 3/18/10 Section: Sports
Kate Aherne didn't even need the freestyle leg to pull ahead of the competition.
Aherne, the senior women's swimmer from Cary, Ill., took the lead in the final 25 yards of the breaststroke before increasing her lead in the freestyle, the final leg of the 200-yard individual medley.
The end result for Aherne was a third-straight national championship in the 200-yard IM and a new national record with a time of 2:00.56 at the NCAA Championships last week in Canton, Ohio.
"I thought to myself that if I had the lead after the breaststroke, I would be able to finish the race out and win it," Aherne said. "That event is just so nerve-racking for me, especially because I put a lot of pressure on myself for it and, also, I feel like people kind of had high expectations of me."
Aherne is the only Truman swimmer ever to three-peat in a single event.
The victory in the medley capped off another stellar nationals for Aherne. She placed second in the 50- and 200-yard freestyles and third in the 100-yard freestyle. Aherne also helped each of the three freestyle relays to top-eight finishes.
Aherne had four of the six top-eight individual finishes for the Bulldogs, who finished fifth overall at the meet.
But her best achievement could have been her three-peat and the new national record. After faster suits were implemented in 2009, records dropped nonstop, including Aherne setting one in the IM.
This year, with the suits now banned, only one individual record fell - the 200-yard IM.
"She put it together," head coach Mark Gole said. "With the competition, she just didn't even give them a chance."
Gole said the 200-yard IM was the best race he has ever seen Aherne swim.
Aherne said the record was a really big surprise, but she was still happy just to get the win.
"I was incredibly nervous the whole day - I could hardly eat, and it was just such a good feeling to be able to get that third win in," she said.
Aherne, the senior women's swimmer from Cary, Ill., took the lead in the final 25 yards of the breaststroke before increasing her lead in the freestyle, the final leg of the 200-yard individual medley.
The end result for Aherne was a third-straight national championship in the 200-yard IM and a new national record with a time of 2:00.56 at the NCAA Championships last week in Canton, Ohio.
"I thought to myself that if I had the lead after the breaststroke, I would be able to finish the race out and win it," Aherne said. "That event is just so nerve-racking for me, especially because I put a lot of pressure on myself for it and, also, I feel like people kind of had high expectations of me."
Aherne is the only Truman swimmer ever to three-peat in a single event.
The victory in the medley capped off another stellar nationals for Aherne. She placed second in the 50- and 200-yard freestyles and third in the 100-yard freestyle. Aherne also helped each of the three freestyle relays to top-eight finishes.
Aherne had four of the six top-eight individual finishes for the Bulldogs, who finished fifth overall at the meet.
But her best achievement could have been her three-peat and the new national record. After faster suits were implemented in 2009, records dropped nonstop, including Aherne setting one in the IM.
This year, with the suits now banned, only one individual record fell - the 200-yard IM.
"She put it together," head coach Mark Gole said. "With the competition, she just didn't even give them a chance."
Gole said the 200-yard IM was the best race he has ever seen Aherne swim.
Aherne said the record was a really big surprise, but she was still happy just to get the win.
"I was incredibly nervous the whole day - I could hardly eat, and it was just such a good feeling to be able to get that third win in," she said.
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