Comets go the distance at Mt. SAC Invitational

WALNUT, CA (2/25/2023) -- Palomar College competed in the diving and distance portion of the Mt. SAC Swimming and Diving Invitational on Saturday morning. This was the first event for diving and the first distance event of the season. The men won five events of the nine they competed in. 

Sophomores Timothy Godin and Jacob Rochman went 1-2 in the 1650Y Free. Godin finished with a time of 17.01.01 and Rochman finished with a time of 17.11.08. Kevin Brunia and Cristos Birbilis, both sophomores, also competed in the event and finished in 7th and 10th place, respectively. 

Ansel Johnson won the 200Y Fly with a time of 2:04.83. He was the lone Comet in the event. Johnson also swam in the 400Y IM and finished in 2nd with a  time of 4:32.10. Birbilis also swam in the event and finished in 7th with a time of 5:05.64. In the 200Y Back, Rochman and Manuel Carriles finished in 2nd and 10th, respectively. Rochman had a time of 2:00.44 and Carriles had a time of 2:29.95. The 200Y Free was the toughest race for the Comets, as Jake Coutts and Carriles finished in 10th and 16th place.

The men also competed in one relay, the 800Y Free. They won the event with a time of 7:35.78. The second-place team had a time of 7:47.36.

Taylor Donovan, Palomar's only male diver this season, won both the 1M and 3M. He finished with a score of 233.65 in the 1M, 24.15 points better than second place. Donovan is the reigning state champion on the 3M and he did not disappoint. His final score in the event was 269.10, 24.25 points better than second place.

The men will travel to Crafton Hills College on Friday for the first PCAC Invitational.