UNLV twosome aided by fast start

UNLV coach Jim Reitz has guided countless top-tier swimmers over three decades and is no longer easily surprised.

Even so, few athletes have impressed him more than seniors Jonas Andersson and Kim Bonney this season.

Both recently turned in NCAA-qualifying performances to lead the Rebels at the Mountain West Conference Championships. On March 1 the men emerged with a fourth consecutive conference title, while the women finished second to Brigham Young.

Andersson, who set MWC records in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke, helped the men finish 157 points ahead of BYU. His times of 53.46 seconds in the 100 and 1:57.03 in the 200 earned him spots in the NCAA meet, which begins March 27 at Federal Way, Wash.

Reitz said he has never worked with a more determined swimmer.

“Jonas stands out in my 28-year career,” he said. “He’s one of the mentally toughest swimmers I have ever coached.”

That determination became clear soon after the native of Enskede, Sweden, struggled in his early days as a freshman.

“Jonas came in here four years ago barely able to do the warmups,” Reitz said. “He struggled with the very fundamental stuff. But he eventually became a student of the sport at a higher level.”

Indeed, the 5-foot-9-inch Andersson began a quest for his first NCAA appearance last summer, when he trained alongside Bonney to build a base that would set them up for a strong season.

The extra effort became apparent early when Andersson traveled to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, over Thanksgiving weekend and won the 200 breaststroke against elite competition in the World Cup Super Final.

Reitz thinks Andersson’s aggressive approach has the potential to yield further rewards at the NCAA meet.

“You never go there with the thought of just going there,” he said. “You always go with the thought of scoring. Great swimmers thrive at the NCAAs.”

Bonney, who has come close to qualifying for the women’s national championship meet on several occasions, finally did it at the MWC meet by winning the 200 breaststroke in a league-record time of 2:14.15.

The native of Cape Town, South Africa, also won the 100 breaststroke and was a member of the winning 400 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams. She was voted the league’s swimmer of the year.

“My big goal is to make the top 16,” Bonney said of the NCAA meet, which begins March 20 at Columbus, Ohio. “But if I don’t, I’ll still be happy to make it there. It’s a really big meet, so I’ll have to get myself in the right frame of mind.”

Reitz said he’s confident Bonney can succeed in the NCAAs, citing her preparation that began in the offseason.

“It’s not magic,” he said. “She came in fit. This NCAA entry was completed last summer. Without all that work, there would be no NCAAs. This is a lesson for everyone on the team.”