FORT PIERCE, Fla. – Salem first year swimmer Abigail Hawkins established a personal-best time in the 100 butterfly, highlighting the second day of action at the Sun Coast Conference Championship in Fort Pierce, Fla. Teammates Olivia Nivens and Kylie Clark finished 14th in their respective events.
Hawkins came through with the best overall finish, 12th, in Friday's events for Salem. Hawkins, competing in the women's 100 butterfly, touched the wall in a time of 1:40.17, resulting in a personal best. After posting a time of 45.38 in the first split, Hawkins logged a time of 54.79 in her second split. Hawkins previous best time in the 100 butterfly (1:46.34) came just nine days again in Meisenheimer, N.C. at the Pfeiffer Dual.
Nivens placed 14th in the 200 freestyle following a time of 2:43.44. Nivens opened the event strong with a 36.38 time at the first split, following with a 39.75 in her second split. After posting a time of 43.66 in the third split, the Texas native capped off the final lap with a 43.65 time.
Clark also placed 14th in her Friday event, the 100 backstroke, posting a time of 1:45.85. It marks the third time this season that Clark has posted a sub 1:46.00 time for the Spirits. She was just over two seconds off her personal best (1:43.09), which came at the Pfeiffer Dual on February 2nd. Clark logged a time of 51.77 in her first split before touching the wall in 54.08 in her second split.
The Salem trio will wrap up the third day of the meet by competing in one event each on Saturday, February 12th. Hawkins is set to compete in the 200 backstroke, while Nivens will take part in the 200 breaststroke and Clark in the 100 freestyle.
DAY ONE RECAP
The trio of Kylie Clark, Abigail Hawkins and Olivia Nivens put the finishing touches on the first day of Sun Coast Conference Championship in Fort Pierce, Fla., with a series of Top-10 finishes in the finals on Thursday, February 10th.
Nivens capped off her first year for the Spirits with her team-best 18th Top-10 individual finish by touching the wall eighth in the B Relay by posting a time of 7:48.42. That was almost four seconds faster than her preliminary qualifying time (7:52.39), which was also a season-best.
Hawkins was also eighth in her event, the 200 individual medley B Relay, posting a time of 3:27.27. Like her teammate Nivens, Hawkins improved on her preliminary time at the Anne Wilder Aquatic Complex, which was 3:31.53. The eighth-place finish marked her 14th Top-10 of the 2021-22 campaign.
Clark placed seventh in the 50 freestyle B Relay, posting a time of 35.82. She reached the final round after posting a time of 35.57 in the preliminaries, a personal-best.
