BURNABY  – Swimming in their final competitive race in Margaret and Paul Savage Pool the women's 400-metre relay team made it one to remember.
 
Kaleigh Sharkey, Tori Meklensek, Kennedy Loewen and Jordan Doner set a new school short course meters record and made the provisional qualifying standard for nationals. Their time was historically fast by SFU standards, and the foursome is hoping it is fast enough to earn them a spot at the 2022 NCAA Championships set for March 9 to 12 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina.
 
Their relay time was 3:48.71, breaking the six-year old school record of 3:50.40. When converted to short course yards, the time is faster then the time used by the NCAA to invite teams to the 2021 championships.
 
"We made the provisional standard and I'm just so happy, so happy to have these girls by my side," said senior Sharkey, who swam lead-off and clocked the fastest leg of the race at 56.06 seconds.  "It's a pretty quick standard but everyone just went so hard and we did it for ourselves, for the team and for our coaches. I'm so proud of my teammates."
 
"I was really happy with my performance and then I just got out of the pool and watched, I knew the girls would step up and do it," continued Sharkey, who was confident she wolud be going to her third NCAA Championships. She is highly ranked in several individual events as well.
 
"I've been emotional," continued Sharkey. "This is our last home meet and it made me think about how long I've been in this sport and how much everyone means to me, the experiences we have shared, and I'm just really grateful for such a supportive team."
 
 
The men's 400 meter freestyle relay team turned in the fourth fastest time all-time when they clocked 3:23.66 narrowly missing the school record 3:21.67. The men's 400 meter medley relay, however, team did set a school record in a time trial on Sunday. Jayden Cole, Collyn Gagne, Amar Fejzic and Mathew Fuller clocked 3:39.85, crushing the old record of 3:44.73.
 
In the individual races Sunday SFU swimmers were unable to improve on their season-bests and NCAA rankings. They will find out tomorrow if their times were fast enough to earn spots at nationals.
 

This is the last weekend of competition for swimmers around the NCAA to make "A" or "B" qualifying standards required for invitations to nationals. Eclipsing the "A" standard earns an automatic invitation to nationals. SFU's Collyn Gagne has qualified in the 200 and 400 IM after achieving the "A" standard.
 
Making the "B" cut and ranking high enough will earn an invitation to the NCAA Championships. Invitations to the championships will go out on Monday.
 
The SFU women are ranked No. 13 in NCAA and the men are No. 20.
 
Racing this weekend was short course meters and times are converted to short course yards for qualifying and NCAA ranking.


 
--@SFU_Athletics--