Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Saluki Miler
Salukis continue exhibition competition with distance and open water events
09/25/2015 | 12:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
By Elizabeth Robinson
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Saluki swimming and diving team continues its inter-squad competition this weekend with the Saluki Miler, beginning Friday night and continuing on Saturday morning.
Last week, the Salukis opened their season with the Maroon and White meet, featuring short events including the 50 Free and 100 and 200 IM, Fly, Back, Breast, Free, Free Relay and Medley Relay.
This weekend's events will focus on distance, with swimmers racing in the 400 IM and 1650 Free on Friday night at Edward Shea Natatorium beginning at 6 p.m.
"The two events on Friday are the events that we rarely get a chance to swim during the season," head coach Rick Walker said. "For those athletes that swim in those events, we don't want the first time to compete in that race to be in the championship meet, so this provides them the opportunity to swim."
The meet will conclude on Saturday morning at Little Grassy Lake at the Touch of Nature Environmental Center where swimmers will compete in an open water 5K race. SIU's distance swimmers will compete, while an exhibition relay will allow other swimmers to participate in the open water swim.
"This is something they'll talk about all season," Walker said. "I foresee, in the not too far future, that open water swimming may come up as an emergent event or sport that could potentially be something we could participate in."
Walker has a background in open water swimming after serving as the chairman for the USA Swimming Open Water Committee for five years. Previously, Walker had served as the USA Swimming Open Water National Team head coach and director for 12 years and was named America Continental Open Water Swimming Man of the Year in 2009.
The open water swim will begin at 9 a.m. at Camp 2 at Little Grassy Lake.
