Wingate University junior Olympian and two-time NCAA national champion Marko Blazevski (Skopje, Macedonia) won three men’s events as Wingate lost a tough 152-123 decision to NCAA Division I UNC Wilmington Saturday at the Wingate University Natatorium. Blazevski touched first in the 500 and the 1000 Freestyle distance races and the 200 Butterfly.
Seven men’s pool records fell Saturday, with the host Bulldogs setting four new marks. Blazevski was three-for-three in the pool record department, as each of his individual victories is a new pool record. Blazevski posted triumphs in the 1000 Freestyle (9:29.12), the 200 Butterfly (1:51.98) and the 500 Freestyle (4:36.12).
At the 2012 NCAA Division II national championship meet, Blazevski defended his national title in the 400 Individual Medley. He was the Bluegrass Mountain Conference champion in the same event. In the 2012 NCAA meet, Blazevski was an All-American in four events (400 IM, 800 Free Relay, 1650 Free and 500 Free). He was an honorable mention All-American in the 1000 Freestyle.
In February, the Blazevski and the Bulldogs won their fifth consecutive BMC championship title at the Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center (MCAC) pool in downtown Charlotte. Blazevski won the 400 IM at the 2012 BMC meet. He was All-BMC in four events (500 Free, 200 Fly, 800 Free Relay and 400 IM). The 2012 J. Howard Williams Award winner for male athlete of the year at Wingate, Blazevski is a 2012 Capital One Academic All-America® honoree.
