Saluki swimmers began the new year with a dominant performance at Arkansas-Little Rock, where they won 25 events in the tri-meet against Little Rock and Ouachita Baptist.

Senior Bryn Handley claimed the 1,000-yard freestyle event with a finish time of  10:20.12. Handley also won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:54.89.

Senior Kelsie Walker was right behind Handley in the event at 1:55.27.

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Sophomore Rita Naude claimed two separate events in the meet. She won the 100-yard butterfly event in 56.98 for a new team-best time. Naude also won the 100-yard backstroke in 57.92 for another team-high time.

Sophomore Sam Parsons outswam all breaststroke swimmers as he claimed the 100-yard and 200-yard events. Parsons finished the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:06.26 and the 200-yard event in 2:21.81.

Sophomore Laura Carver claimed the 200-yard IM event and finished in 2:08.40.

Senior McKenna Avery won the 50-yard freestyle in 24.59.

Sophomore transfer Tamas Hajtman provided Southern swimmers with a valuable spark in his first swim meet for SIU, as he claimed three events.

Hajtman won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21.30, the 100-yard freestyle in 47.06 and the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 50.89.

Senior Alex Crawford claimed victory in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 52.47 and the 200-yard backstroke at 1:54.47.

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Sophomore Chris Phillips won three events — the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:43.55, the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:05.87 and the 200-yard IM with a time of 1:53.51.

Junior Chris Cole won the 1,000-yard freestyle event with a time of 9:30.67 for a new season-best time.

Southern divers performed well, also.

Sophomore Beibei Ji claimed the 1-meter dive with a score of 300.67, while her twin sister Baobao won the 3-meter dive with a score of 297.89.

The Salukis will continue action on Jan. 21 at the Butler Invite in Indianapolis. The time for the Invite is TBA.

Sports writer Ryan Demer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @RyanDemer_DE 

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