With a pair of top eight finishes, the Biola University men’s and women’s swim teams enjoyed a fruitful season ending at the NAIA National Swimming and Diving Championships last month in Oklahoma City. Freshman swimmer Christine Tixier swam her personal best time and shattered the national record set in 2008 by over three tenths of a second.

The team raised the bar until the very last event, breaking multiple school records and ultimately leaving a mark at the national level with a new, fastest finish in the 100 yard butterfly.

Tixier swam her best time by two full seconds during her initial race to qualify for the finals. With a speedy time of 54.60 for the two-lap event, Tixier exceeded expectations rising even above her second-place seed to take a first-place finish and win the NAIA Championship in this challenging stroke. She also took fourth in both the 200 yard breaststroke and 200 yard IM.

Tixier holds the swim program’s first NAIA national record and became the fourth all time All-American as well as the second national champion.

“I was very happy with how I did at nationals because I know that it was my best and I know God was glorified,” said Tixier.

Now with the regular season behind her for this year, Tixier is considering continuing her training for the 2012 Olympic trials to qualify for the celebrated world competition in London. To make the cut, Tixier would have to shave approximately one-third of a second off of her fastest time in the fly.

Eddie Shepard, the head swim coach and assistant athletic director, is excited to see Tixier perform with so much success. He encourages her to focus on doing her best and pursuing what she loves.

“I think one of the reasons she did so well is that she didn’t put a lot of pressure on herself,” said Shepard. With three more years of collegiate eligibility ahead, Tixier will have many more opportunities to compete as a nationally-ranked swimmer.

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Written by Jessica Airey, Media Relations Interns. For more information, contact Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator, at 562.777.4061 or at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu.