Results from the Morgan Hill Swim Club’s last two meets
SAN JOSE — School’s out, and the weather and swimming heated up for the Makos in last weekend’s San Jose Aquatics Long Course Meet at Gunderson High School.
Once again, the local team from Morgan Hill Swim Club established more new A and B times. Almost three of every four swims was a personal best. Considering the previous meet was two weeks ago, this reflects hard work on the swimmers’ part. The Makos met or exceeded 11 new A times, eight new B times, one new Junior Olympics time and a new Far Western Qualifying time.
Michael Pham, 8, swam to a new B time in the 50-meter freestyle, dropping more than six seconds and was under a minute for the first time. Michelle Pham, 14, swam to a new B time in the 200-meter individual medley. Harley Posada, 13, earned her first B time in the 50 free, shaving more than three seconds in the process. Ryan Reagan, 7, snagged his first long course B time in the 50-meter backstroke. Frankie Zhang, 11, bested the B standard in his 400-meter individual medley debut.
Ricki Cruz, who has stepped up his training, scored an A time in the 200-meter butterfly with a 33-second drop. Cruz also ripped off six personal-record times through eight races. Amanda Giacobbe, 13, earned her first A time in the 50-meter freestyle. Kenisha Johnson, 12, snagged a new A time in the 100-meter backstroke. Mackenzie Mitchell, 12, earned a new A time in her first 200-meter freestyle.
Bryn Rasmussen, 8, raced to two new A times; one with a seven-second drop in the 50 freestyle, the other with a 10-plus second improvement in the 50-meter butterfly, breaking a minute for the first time. Shelby Mitchell, 13, enjoyed the weekend with two new A times in the 50 freestyle and 100-meter breaststroke, including huge drops in both events, and added three new B times in the 400-meter freestyle, 200- and 800-meter freestyle. The latter two events were debut swims. Brandon Pride, 9, raced to two new A times in the 50 backstroke, and dropped eight seconds in the 200 free with a solid swim.
Tanner Fry, 11, added the 200 butterfly to his list of A times, and improved by 13 seconds to earn a qualifying time for the Junior Olympics in the 400 free. Kaitlin Rooney, 10, dropped more than five seconds in the 200 IM for a new Far Western qualifying time.
During the weekend, temperatures on deck were well into the 90s, and the kids, despite not being used to hot weather, showed toughness hanging in there.
Competition was tough at the Makos’ previous long course meet, hosted by West Coast Aquatics, as it fell May 29-30 during finals week for most students. The weather was cold with strong winds, and the field comprised more than 900 entries from 43 Pacific Swimming teams. Many swimmers were competing in events for the first time in long course meters. Most of them were not in the same heat as their usual competitors.
With three new A standards, two new Junior Olympic times and a new Far Western standard, the team’s results were not what the Makos normally see for a C/B/A+ meet.
Mitchell snagged a new A time in her first try at the 400 IM. Rasmussen dropped more than five seconds in the 100-meter freestyle for a new A time. Cruz shaved about two minutes in the 800 freestyle to establish a good new A time.
Rooney seemed to enjoy the pressure, racing to new Junior Olympic times in the 100 freestyle and 100-meter butterfly. She improved by more than 15 seconds in the 200 freestyle to earn a new Far Western time, one of few recorded in the meet.
Now that the school year is over, the Makos have more time to train for a long hot summer.
