Aug. 12, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS --- Georgia swimmer Megan Romano earned high-point honors at the United States Open as she collected four wins and one runner-up finish at the meet.

Romano, a rising senior from St. Petersburg, Fla., representing Athens Bulldog Swim Club, won the 100- and 200-meter freestyle races and the 100- and 200-meter backstroke events while coming in second in the 50-meter freestyle.

The meet was held at the IUPUI Natatorium, the site of the 2013 NCAA Championships.

Romano claimed the 100-meter freestyle with a meet record time of 53.92. In July at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Romano went 54.72 to come in 10th. Jessica Hardy won the Trials and qualified for the Olympics with a time of 53.96, 4/100ths slower than Romano’s time.

Romano then posted her first-place effort in the 200-meter backstroke, touching the wall in 2:09.08. Later in the meet, she pulled off the herculean task of two wins in one session. She took the 200-meter freestyle with a meet record time of 1:57.54, then won the 100-meter backstroke in 1:00.37.

Romano placed second in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 25.37.

Romano's run continued what has been a successful summer for Georgia swimmers. Allison Schmitt (three golds, one silver, one bronze) and Shannon Vreeland (one gold) were medalists at the recently completed Olympics.