by Alan Babbitt
In a dual meet that went down the final race, the Hope College men's swimming and diving won the 400-yard freestyle relay to secure a 152-148 victory at Albion College on Wednesday.
Freshman JT Nissen of Spring, Texas (Klein Catholic HS), freshman Bailey Smith of Battle Creek, Michigan (Lakeview), freshman Gabe Boonstra of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville) and junior Daniel Keith of Saline, Michigan (Saline) clocked a winning 400 freestyle relay time of 3 minutes, 11.82 seconds during the MIAA dual meet. They finished 4.35 seconds ahead of the second-place Britons' top relay.
The Flying Dutchmen swept the top three spots in one event and had the best two performances in three others.
In the 1,000 freestyle, freshman Theo Duong of Kentwood, Michigan (East Kentwood) posted a winning time of 10:14.91. Smith was runner-up at 10:18.63.
In the 200 freestyle, Smith finished first with a swim of 1:46.81. Boonstra took second at 1:47.32.
Smith also won the 500 freestyle in 4:54.77.
Keith captured the top spots in both the 100 backstroke at 52.59 seconds and the 200 backstroke at 1:55.61.
Boonstra swept the sprint freestyle events: the 50 free in 22.35 seconds and the 100 free in 48.03.
In diving, junior Grant Williams of Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids) led a 1-2-3 Hope finish on the 3-meter board with a score of 320.05. Sophomore Kamaron Wilcox of Grand Rapids, Michigan (Forest Hills Central) came in second at 225.65, while freshman Spencer Cahill of Kentwood, Michigan (East Kentwood) was third at 214.25.
Williams won the 1-meter board with a total of 273.20. Wilcox was runner-up at 232.45.
The Flying Dutchmen's next meet is Saturday, November 16 at 11 a.m. against Olivet College at the Dow Center.
