Cal’s Prenot Fourth in 200 Breast at Pan Pacifics

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – Highlighted by Nathan Adrian’s gold medal as a member of the 400 medley relay and Golden Bear junior Josh Prenot’s fourth-place finish in the 200 breast, Cal swimmers had another stellar day Sunday at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships in Gold Coast, Australia. Additionally, Bears were second and third in the 50 free with 33-year-old Anthony Ervin capturing silver and Adrian getting the bronze.

For the second day in a row a current Cal standouts finished fourth among the world’s elite. Prenot, the two-time defending Pac-12 champion in the 400-yard IM, was fourth in the 200 breast with a time of 2:11.05. On Saturday, sophomore teammate Ryan Murphy finished fourth in the 200 back.

Prenot had placed third in both the 400 IM and the 200 breast at the Phillips 66 U.S. National Championships two weeks ago in Irvine.bb

Prenot was the 2013 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year, while Murphy was the 2014 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year, under head coach David Durden. Prenot, Murphy, Adrian and Ervin all train at Cal’s Spieker Aquatics Complex under Durden, who has led the Bears’ men’s swimming and diving program to three NCAA titles in the last four years.

Olympic gold medalist Adrian anchored Team USA’s victory in the 400 medley relay with a freestyle leg of 47.60. Joining Adrian was backstroker Matt Grevers (53.10), breaststroker Kevin Cordes (58.64) and butterflyer Michael Phelps (50.60) as the Americans finished with a time of 3:29.94. Japan was second (3:32.08) and host Australia third (3:33.45).

In the 50 free final, Ervin got the silver with a time of 21.73, and Adrian was third with a mark of 21.80.

Some other notable swims for Bears at the Pan Pacs included Adrian and Ervin joining fellow Olympic champions Phelps and Ryan Lochte on the U.S. 400 free relay that was second to host Australia (3:12.80 to 3:13.36) on Saturday. On Thursday, Murphy had won a bronze medal in the 100 back. Two weeks ago, Murphy had silver medals in the 100 and 200 back at the U.S. Nationals.

Another member of Durden’s Cal squad, junior Jacob Pebley, swam a time of 1:58.46 in the 200 back prelims, and on Thursday, Pebley had clocked a time of 54.57 in the prelims of the 100 back.

For more info on the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships, click Here.