Six Makos traveled to Gunderson High School in San Jose last
weekend for the San Jose Aquatics Senior Meet, joining about 600
Pacific Swimming competitors from 80 teams. It was the first time
in more than five years that the Morgan Hill Swim Club has
qualified five-plus swimmers for a senior meet
SAN JOSE — Six Makos traveled to Gunderson High School in San Jose last weekend for the San Jose Aquatics Senior Meet, joining about 600 Pacific Swimming competitors from 80 teams. It was the first time in more than five years that the Morgan Hill Swim Club has qualified five-plus swimmers for a senior meet.
The competition in senior meets is always tough, and, despite being early season, this one was no exception. Some races missed establishing new Pacific Swimming age-group records by less than a tenth of a second.
Taylor Chan, 14, swimming back-to-back meets, managed personal records in three of four swims and established a new senior-qualifying time in the 200-meter breaststroke.
Sesa Ferdun also enjoyed a good meet with four out of six PRs. The 12-year-old bettered times for two new senior cuts in the 100 butterfly, dropping 13 seconds, and 200 breast — a huge 25-second improvement.
Alyssa Greymont, 13, was two for two in PRs Saturday. Devon Macdonald, 14, swam well on the first day of the meet as well, earning three PRs in four attempts. Christiana Bridges, 14, managed to squeak into the scoring with an eighth-place effort in the 1,000 freestyle.
Zack Greymont, 14, also participated for Morgan Hill.
Next up for the Makos: the West C/B/A+ this weekend in the Frank Fiscalini International Swim Center at Independence High School.
Two weeks ago, 15 Makos participated in Santa Cruz County Aquatics’ C/B/A+ meet along with 680 Pacific Swimming athletes representing 50 U.S. teams. Once the early morning fog burned off, the conditions were spectacular, and the Makos took advantage of it.
Samantha Coley, 12, earned a new B time in the 50 breast. Korina Dehpanah, 10, raced to a new A time in the 50 breast as well as did 10-year-old Kai Leong. Shiromi Welipitiya, 10, joined the crowd with a new B time in the same event as nearly all Makos PRed in breaststroke swims.
Ellie Sidebotham, 6, earned her first B time in the 25 free, dropping almost four seconds. Karrine Leong, 7, reeled off a new B time in the 25 fly.
Chan earned a new A time in the 200 free, swimming the event for the first time in more than a year. Chan added another A time in the 100 fly and a new B time in the 200 backstroke, breaking two minutes in that event for the first time.
Jarod Hatch, 11, dropped more than nine seconds in the 50 breast to establish a new A time and earned a new B time in the 200 individual medley, breaking three minutes. Omar Insignares, 10, notched a new A time in the 100 back, with an 18-second drop, and the 500 free.
Kenisha Johnson, 13, established a new A time in the 200 free and 200 back. Brandon Pride, 10, added to his list of A times in the 500 free, improving by more than 25 seconds. Pride also had a new B time in the 50 fly. Macqueline Soliman, 10, shaved 52-plus seconds off her entry time in the 200 IM, easily besting the A standard, and enjoyed PRs in all of her swims.
Meet results for the Makos included eight new B times and nine new A times, which continues the team’s remarkable trend. The Makos were once again in the 80th percentile for personal-best times – the result of hard work at practice.
