Rose Ends Close Calls Swiftly

After finishing second by a fingertip in three previous events, Gabrielle Rose went home a winner Sunday at the TYR Swim Meet of Champions. Rose, competing for the Irvine Novaquatics, won the 200-meter individual medley at the Marguerite Recreation Center in Mission Viejo. Her time of 2 minutes 15.46 seconds was slightly faster than her winning time at the Spring Nationals in March and even more exceptional considering it was her seventh event of the four-day meet.

Her other results included second-place finishes in the 100 and 200 freestyles and 100 breaststroke, each by seven-tenths of a second or less.

“I was treating this meet as training for nationals [in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.] in August,” she said. “Normally, I don’t swim this many events.”

Rose, 24, is seeking a fourth national title in the 200 individual medley, which requires all four strokes. She won the event in 2:15.59 at the Spring Nationals in March in Minneapolisr.

“We’re mostly trying to work on improvements in the breaststroke and butterfly,” said Dave Salo, coach of the Novaquatics. “And she had improved a lot.”

It was a successful day for other Novaquatics.

Aaron Peirsol won the men’s 100 backstroke in 56.81, shortly after teammate Diana MacManus won the women’s backstroke in 1:03.62. Peirsol, the world-record holder in the 200 backstroke, graduated from Newport Harbor High on Thursday and hoped to swim his specialty at the meet Friday.

“I was going to try for swimmer of the meet, but I couldn’t get up [for the prelims Friday morning],” Peirsol said.

Erin Sieper edged Rose by one-tenth of a second to win the 100 breaststroke in 1:11.01. Adrienne Binder won the 1,500 freestyle in 16:42.80. Erik Vendt won the 1,500 freestyle in 15:52.45.