July 20, 2009
IOWA CITY, IA — University of Iowa senior Deidre Freeman, junior Veronica Rydze and sophomore Paul Gordon all recently competed in national competitions.
Freeman and Rydze competed at the National Preliminary Zone C Diving Meet in Minneapolis last weekend. Freeman took home the meet’s high point award, tallying 55 points after winning the women’s one-meter springboard (239.35), winning the three-meter synchronized event with Rydze (240.30) and placing third on the three-meter (263.20). Rydze placed seventh on one-meter (223.20). With their finishes, Freeman earned a trip to the 2009 U.S. Summer National Diving Championships in the one and three-meter individual events, as well as in the three-meter synchronized event with Rydze. The event will be held August 11-16 in Tallahassee, FL. Along with advancing to nationals, Freeman and Rydze earned a spot at the USA National Synchronized Assessment Camp in Tallahassee on August 17-18.
“It was a great day for the Iowa swimming and diving program,” said University of Iowa Head Diving Coach Bob Rydze. “Both Deidre and Veronica did really well. It was great for Deidre to win the one meter. Veronica showed great improvement while competing in her first national event.”
Gordon swam at the 2009 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships in Indianapolis, IN. The meet also served as the World Championship Trials for the United States. Gordon placed 46th in the 200-meter free (1:52.83), 50th in the 200-meter individual medley (2:07.92) and swam a 51.49 in the 100-meter free.