By John Pullano, Advisory Editor
To win one Atlantic 10 Conference Championship is special. To win a second championship under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic would mean much more to St. Bonaventure University senior swimmer Tjaard Krusch.
“Considering now that our time was limited because of COVID, it would be so huge to me to repeat,” said Krusch. “We have had practices restricted, we did not get to go on our training trip and for me to still repeat would make me so much happier knowing this year was so strange and that is going to be my last season.”
At the 2019-2020 Atlantic 10 Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, Krusch won a gold medal and set a new Atlantic 10 conference record in the 200-yard individual relay with a time of 1:45.73. That record-breaking performance was one of four medals Krusch won during the championships.
Despite the success Krusch had in 2020, he has kept his focus on replicating his victory in the 200-IM what’s IM? at the 2020-21 championships.
During a normal men’s swimming and diving season, the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships would take place the third weekend in February. However, ,due to challenges related to COVID-19, the championships have been rescheduled and will take place two months later than usual during the week of April 14.
Despite the changes in the schedule, Krusch has put his trust in Bonaventure’s head men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach Skip Nitardy to prepare him for whenever the championships take place.
“Our coach knows when it is time to taper and when it is time to raise the intensity,” said Kursch. “I am doing what I did in previous years and trusting him and what he’s doing. It worked out last year and he always keeps us prepared.”
In addition to following Nitardy’s plan for training, Krusch has tried to adjust his schedule out of the pool to ensure success. Krusch has limited his time on his smartphone to less than 15 minutes at a time and has gotten to bed earlier this year than last.
“I am just trying to do the little things and trying to be professional,” said Krusch. “And doing stuff that will help me in my preparation and recovery.”
At the end of the 2021 spring academic semester, Krusch plans to graduate and move back to his home country of Germany. However, he is planning on making his last season a memorable one.
“I know swimming the times I did last year will be difficult to achieve due to COVID,” said Krusch. “But I am going to trust the process and my coach and swim personal records at A10s.”
pullanjj18@bonaventure.edu
