Ready? Set? Swim!
The swimming team has concluded their season with an impressive performance by senior Corina Wong at the state championship meet. The team competed in 7 total meets throughout the season, including the District Championship. Districts took place in Belen Jesuit on October 24 and they placed second overall.
From there, 10 girls advanced to regionals on November 1. Sophomore Isabella Pedraja, juniors Chloe Hanna, Mia Verona, Sylvia Osorio, Andrea Lavin, and Lauren Perez competed at Regionals, along with seniors Natalia Corral, Alexa Csonka, Ailette Garcia, and Corinna Wong. Wong placed first in the 200 meter race and second in the 500 meter, therefore moving on individually to her third and final State Championship.
States took place on November 11 in Ocala. Wong competed in the 200 meter race, finishing in 23rd and made it to B-finals for the 500 meter. B-finals is a final meet between the top 9-16 swimmers. In this race, she placed third, consequently finishing 12 overall at the state meet.
“I wasn’t expecting those specific results, but I’m generally proud of myself for even making it to states,” Wong said.
The success of the team did not come easy. The swimmers trained every single day, and even incorporated new techniques, such as “Dry-Land”, into their practices. “Dry-Land” means that the athletes participated in out-of-water workouts and would run a mile before each practice, in order to build strength and endurance. As the season went on, and the team approached the state series, they start “tapering.”
“Tapering is when the practices are less intense the closer you get to a race because it helps your body conserve energy and prevent lactic acid build-up,” coach Andrew Hart said.
These intense practices resulted in many personal victories for the team.
“The girls were dropping times a lot, which was really exciting,” Hart said. “There was an overall positive and motivated attitude throughout the season.”
The season allowed for the unity of the team as a whole. They became more than just teammates, and motivated each other in every meet and practice.
“As a senior, I want the rest of the team to keep trying their hardest next year and that I will always come down to continue supporting them,” Wong said.
