Runge returns to the pool in Arizona State’s win over Cougars

By Scott Mammoser

TEMPE, Ariz. – There were high expectations for Cierra Runge in her return to NCAA swimming, and the Olympic gold medalist delivered with first-place finishes in the 100-and 200-yard freestyle events in Arizona State’s 174-85 home-opening win over Washington State on Saturday.

“We’ve been training really well during this interim holiday period,” ASU coach Bob Bowman said. “It was good to get back into racing. In general, we had good energy, people were racing well. It was nice to have Cierra Runge for the first time racing for us, her first meet in a year. Emma Nordin was really good today, and across the board, we swan pretty well. Turns and finishes are things we can always improve on.”

ASU Swimming and Diving start season with win over Cougars

Runge placed a 1:49.44 in the 200, nearly three seconds ahead of second-place Ryan Falk of WSU, and took the 100 in 50.64 seconds. Runge previously swam at the University of California and the University of Wisconsin before transferring to ASU. She won the 800 free relay at the 2016 Olympics and the World Championships in both 2015 and 2017.

“It feels really awesome,” Runge said, “being able to compete and contribute was awesome. I missed the competition, I hadn’t competed since August nationally, and it’s been a year and a half since I have done duals. I told the team this is the best experience I have had swimming collegiately.”

Silja Kansakoski, the junior from Oulu, Finland, won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:02.43 and is excited to have the Runge as a teammate.

“It’s amazing, I never saw someone so fast,” Kansakoski said. “It brings so much more confidence to our team to have (Runge) here. We trained so hard over winter training, and I can’t wait to see how quick we are going to swim.”

Other winners on Saturday were: Nordin in the 1,000 free (10:10.80) and 500 free (4:50.02), Chloe Isleta in the 100 back (55.13) and 200 back (2:00.09), Ruby Martin in the 200 butterfly (2:02.53), Fanny Teijonsalo in the 50 free (23.68) and 100 butterly (55.29), and Taylor McCoy in the 200 individual medley (2:07.61).

The Sun Devil team of Isleta, Kansakoski, Teijonsalo, and Camryn Curry swam the 200-yard medley relay in 1:42.23, while Nordin, Kendall Dawson, Runge, and Marlies Ross produced a 7:34.53 in the 800-yard free relay. Mackenzie Duarte won the Cougars’ lone event, the 200 breast, in 2:15.66.

The Sun Devils have two more home meets in the season, against California at 2 p.m. on Jan. 25 and at noon versus Stanford on Jan. 26. The men will be competing in the same meets.