Klotz Sets Two WR's as LSU Swimmers Excel in Nationals

BATON ROUGE – LSU swimming has been busy in the pool this summer, with 10 Tigers competing in their respective national competitions. The Tigers sent seven swimmers to the 2018 Phillips 66 U.S. National Championships, and one each to the British National Championships, Canadian National Championships, and European National Championships.

Senior Matt Klotz highlighted the performances at the U.S. National Championships, setting two deaf world records. His first world record of the meet came in the 50-meter backstroke, where he broke his own deaf world record and touched the wall in 25.95 seconds to finish 19th overall. Klotz also earned the deaf world record in the 50-meter freestyle, swimming a 23.14 in a time trial.

Klotz also holds deaf world records in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke. The Cameron Park, California native now owns four deaf world records, the most of any swimmer 

Klotz was named the 2013 USA Deaf Sports Male Athlete of the Year as sell as the 2017 USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) Sportsman of the Year for his accomplishments in the pool.

Meanwhile, sophomore Cameron Karkoska set a new personal-best in the 100-meter breaststroke time trial, swimming a 1:03.43.

Junior Lewis Clough represented the Tigers at the British Nationals, claiming five top-10 finishes and four personal-best times. Clough took sixth in the 100-meter freestyle, seventh in both the 200 free and 50 fly, and 10th in the 100 fly and 50 free.

Olivia Paskulin also represented the Tigers abroad, swimming in the 100 breast at the Canadian Nationals. The junior from Beaconsfield, Quebec, touched the wall for a 20th-place finish.

Karl Luht will swim for his native Estonia at the LEN European Championships, which runs from August 3-9 in Glasgow, Scotland.

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Results:

Phillips 66 U.S. National Championships

Harrison Jones:

59th 200 fly

86th 100 fly

Haylee Knight:

79th 100 free

Helen Grossman:

32nd 50 fly

64th 100 fly

Matt Klotz:

43rd 100 back

49th 200 back

19th 50 back 25.95 (deaf world record)

Thomas Smith:

44th 100 back

Nicole Rozier:

53rd 200 IM

Cameron Karkoska:

57th 200 breaststroke

Time Trial:

Matt Klotz:

50 free 23.14 (deaf world record)

Cameron Karkoska:

100 breast 1:03.43 (PR)

British National Championships

Lewis Clough:

6th 100 free (PR)

10th 100 butterfly (PR)

10th 50 freestyle (PR)

7th 200 freestyle

7th 50 butterfly (PR)

Canadian National Championships

Olivia Paskulin:

20th 100 breast