FEDERAL WAY – The Bainbridge Island Swim Club had a strong showing at two recent regional meets that required fast qualifying times to race.
The King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way hosted almost 1,000 senior swimmers from more than 40 teams and 11 states for Speedo Sectionals, held March 16-19. The Bainbridge club placed 13th overall as a team.
Bainbridge swimmers placing in the top 16 after qualifying for the championship final or secondary final included:
Eleanor Beers: 8th place, 50-yard freestyle; fifth, 100-yard freestyle; 15th, 100-yard butterfly
Kevin Houseman: 7th place, 100-yard breaststroke
Makai Ingalls: 6th place, 100-yard butterfly
Garrett Waite: 16th place, 200-yard individual medley; 15th, 400-yard individual medley
The following weekend, March 23-26, the King County Aquatic Center hosted 1,400 age-group swimmers from seven states for the Northwest Region Age Group Championships.
The top eight swimmers in each event by age earned a chance to swim in the championship final.
The Bainbridge Island Swim Club placed 10th overall with a team of 33 swimmers. Margaret Hayes, age 13, was a triple event champion.
Bainbridge swimmers placing in the top eight included:
Emma Solseng (girls 12): sixth place, 100-yard freestyle; second, 50-yard breaststroke; fourth, 100-yard individual medley
Collin Bushey (boys 12): seventh place, 50-yard freestyle; sixth, 100-yard freestyle; seventh, 100-yard backstroke; third, 200-yard backstroke; sixth, 50-yard butterfly; third, 1650-yard freestyle
Brendan Kerns (boys 12): third place, 50-yard breaststroke; second, 100-yard breaststroke; sixth, 200-yard breaststroke; seventh, 50-yard butterfly
Margaret Hayes (girls 13): first place, 50-yard freestyle; first, 100-yard backstroke; first, 200-yard backstroke; third, 100-yard butterfly; third, 200-yard individual medley; third, 400-yard individual medley
Ian Lipton (boys 13): seventh place, 100-yard backstroke; sixth, 1650-yard freestyle
Eleanor Beers (girls 14): second place, 50-yard freestyle; third, 100-yard freestyle; fourth, 200-yard butterfly; eighth, 200-yard individual medley
Boys 14:
Andrew Witty (boys 14): fourth place, 50-yard freestyle; fourth, 100-yard backstroke; fifth, 100-yard breaststroke; sixth, 200-yard breaststroke; seventh, 200-yard individual medley
Swimmers in the 15-18 year old age group who don’t qualify for sectionals also swim at the regional meet.
Carina Laukaitis, 17, won the 100-yard backstroke and placed fifth in the 200-yard backstroke and seventh in the 400-yard individual medley.
Bainbridge club swimmers will now transition to the long course meter season, with meets occurring throughout the spring and summer in 50 meter pools in various places, including King County Aquatic Center, Wenatchee, Oregon, Arizona and California.
Swimmers who qualify for Junior Nationals will race in New York in early August.
