Live Oak sophomore on track for success in next two years
SANTA CLARA — As she took the platform for the 100-yard breaststroke ‘B’ final, her third and final swim Saturday in the Central Coast Section Championships, Michelle Mikaelsson had a large crowd cheering her on from the pool deck at the Santa Clara International Swim Center.
Live Oak High School coaches and teammates, all upperclassmen, watched eagerly as the sophomore almost captured a consolation title in one minute, 7.25 seconds — less than a second behind winner Laura Cui of Palo Alto.
Mikaelsson’s time was good for a new personal record and is a promising sign of things to come.
“She’s going to be really good,” LOHS coach Lynn Gautschi said. “Michelle’s come a long way in just a year. She’s gotten some consistency in her training.”
Mikaelsson intensified her preparation this year after placing seventh (1:07.91) in the 100 breast consol in 2009. She works with San Jose Aquatics coach Gordy Smith, a product of legendary instructor George Haines.
Mikaelsson’s goal for next spring is to make finals in each of her swims.
“I was just focusing on CCS mainly this year,” Mikaelsson said. “I’ve worked harder than ever, and it’s paid off.”
Mikaelsson’s strength in breaststroke helped her place fifth in the 200 IM consol in 2:12.19, another PR. She was seeded sixth going in.
“One thing I’ve noticed is, she’s moving a lot more water this year,” said Gautschi, a two-time Olympic medalist in the IM. “She’s very powerful, very strong. Michelle swam well today.”
Mikaelsson’s individual swims were sandwiched around an opening leg in the 200-yard freestyle relay ‘B’ final. The third-seeded foursome of Mikaelsson, Rachel Cretcher, Sarah D’Angelo and Katie Rick was hampered by injury — Cretcher sprained her left foot a week before the meet — but held its position Saturday, placing third in 1:42.64. That relay has been together for two years and will have back Cretcher, Mikaelsson and both alternates (Marissa Sendejas and Eunice Kim) for 2011.
“We’ve got plenty of talent coming back,” said Cretcher, who backed out of swimming the 100- and 200-yard freestyle at CCS because of her injury. “Our team might not be as strong, but I definitely plan to help get this relay to [CCS] finals.”
Rick and D’Angelo are set to continue their athletic careers in college next year. Rick will play water polo and swim at Loyola Marymount, and D’Angelo plans to walk on with the water polo team at UC-San Diego.
Rick was hoping to have a strong final meet after her impressive showing in the May 6-7 Mount Hamilton Division Finals. She missed the cut for Saturday, placing 26th in the 200 IM (2:17.13) and 100 breast (1:10.32) during preliminaries Friday.
Live Oak’s 400-yard freestyle relay — Rick, D’Angelo, Cretcher and Mikaelsson — came up short in prelims as well.
“Obviously, it wasn’t the kind of meet Katie wanted,” Gautschi said. “You can’t always perform at your best every time, and she performs at her best most of the time. As far as her season’s concerned, it was still spectacular. She got the times she wanted this year. That’s the thing to focus on.”
Also Friday, Live Oak’s 200-yard boys relay of Ryan McCombs, Saul Orona, Danny Robinson and Daniel Enriquez placed 37th (1:36.05) in their preliminary heat with McCombs adding a 41st-place effort (2:06.24) in the 200 IM and tying for 48th in the 50-yard freestyle (23.11).
The Sobrato foursome of Michael Lopes, Patrick Read, Paul Watts and Adam Jasper placed 40th in the 200-freestyle relay (1:37.90), and Jasper, Danny Thompson, Timmy Thompson and Read placed 41st in the 200-yard medley relay (1:51.91).
For the Sobrato girls, freshman Christiana Bridges finished 36th in the 500-yard freestyle (5:29.04) and 47th in the 200-yard freestyle (2:07.03).
