Whitworth’s Wilber wins 200 backstroke at NWC swimming championships

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. Whitworth’s Patrick Wilber won the men’s 200-yard backstroke and the Pirate men finished third at Northwest Conference Swimming Championships on Sunday.

Whitworth finished with 529 points behind Whitman (547) and Pacific Lutheran (533). Whitworth’s women finished fifth with Whitman winning.

Wilber was Whitworth’s only event champion of the night. He took an early lead and held off teammate Bryon Rossmiller winning in 1:51.06 to Rossmiller’s 1:51.67. It was Wilber’s second win of the meet after he tied for first place in the 100-yard backstroke on Saturday.

Trailing Whitman by 12 points and PLU by six heading to the meet’s final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, Whitworth needed to win the race and have the Whitman Blues finish fifth to win the team title. The Pirates led through the first three legs, but the Blues were able to rally on the final leg to win by .35 of a second. PLU finished third to hold on to second place.