To get a sense of what kind of competitor Michelle Mikaelsson is, consider the Live Oak junior’s reaction to winning the Mount Hamilton Division 100-yard breaststroke final Friday
To get a sense of what kind of competitor Michelle Mikaelsson is, consider the Live Oak junior’s reaction to winning the Mount Hamilton Division 100-yard breaststroke final Friday.
A year after narrowly losing to then-senior teammate Katie Rick in the same race, Mikaelsson captured her first league title in one minute, 8.38 seconds – almost four seconds faster than the runner-up. She managed a few smiles afterward on the pool deck at Gunderson High School but saved the celebrating for her family and friends.
It was just another race, another victory.
“I really just focus on what my time is and try to improve,” said Mikaelsson, who trains with San Jose Aquatics. “That’s all I can say: My best is my best. It doesn’t matter who I’m racing against.”
That approach hasn’t failed her yet. Mikaelsson reached the 100 breast consolation final at the 2010 Central Coast Sectionals and will be out to make the championship heat May 20 in the CCS preliminaries.
She will also swim in the 200 individual medley, which she placed second in Thursday in 2:12.68; and the 200 freestyle relay with Rachel Cretcher, Marissa Sendejas and Eunice Kim.
“She’s where she needs to be right now,” Live Oak girls coach Lynn Gautschi said of Mikaelsson. “She has beautiful form. She’s going to do well at CCS.”
As is the case every year, the Mount Hamilton Division Championships meant many things to many Live Oak swimmers. It was a coming-out party for young talents such as sophomore Ryan McCombs and freshman Daniel Pawlak and a going-away party for senior standouts like Cretcher.
“I know I probably won’t do my best at CCS, so league finals is sort of like the last meet with people I’ve been swimming with for years,” Cretcher said. “It’s a lot of fun, always good competition.”
Acorns of all ages did their best. McCombs made the final heats of the 200 IM and 100 breast, the same two events he will swim at sectionals; while Pawlak clocked CCS-qualifying times in the 50 free Thursday in prelims and the 100 freestyle Friday.
Pawlak won the 50 free consolation title but was disqualified because of a faulty start.
“I twitched kind of,” he said with a smile. “I wasn’t too upset. My main goal was to make CCS. This (meet) was my last chance.”
Live Oak boys coach Mack Haines saw significant potential in Pawlak.
“I haven’t seen a freshman with as much talent since Steven Rick,” Haines said. “For someone who swims as well as he does with only a few years of experience, he’s on his way to a great career.”
Danny Robinson had the most impressive meet on the boys side, with the senior dropping time in all four freestyle events, including a massive four-second improvement at 100 yards. Robinson also led the CCS-bound 200- and 400-free relays of him, Pawlak, McCombs and Daniel Enriquez to finals berths.
“Danny really impressed me,” Haines said. “Sometimes seniors slack off a little bit toward the end of the season. Danny dropped time in all his events and really put together a great end to his aquatics career.”
Junior freestyle swimmers Connor Haines and Nathaniel Batey also cut time at 200 and 500 yards, respectively.
“It turned out to be a really good meet for us,” Haines said. “We came in with one CCS qualifier and left with eight.”
