WA State Champion Swimmers Face Senior Sectionals This Week

Mt. Hood Community College, OR — Several of the best local swimmers, including many with Washington State titles, will convene at the 2017 Speedo Western Region Section Championships this Thursday for a four-day event that drives athletic excellence.

Swimmers from as far away as Colorado and Arizona will descend on Mt. Hood Community College to compete in 36 individual and relay events. For some, this is an essential stop, or preparation for Future Nationals in August, which is an even more significant meet. 

The Camas High School (CHS) Boys Swim team won the State title in February, which comprised athletes from multiple private swim clubs — Columbia River Swim Team (CRST), Lacamas Headhunters, and Pacific Athletic Club (PAC). It was the first time in 50 years a high school swim team south of Tacoma won the prized victory. Several won individual and relay events.

Many of those same State Champion swimmers, representing their private clubs, have been getting ready for the past weeks and months, trying erase seconds and milli-seconds off their event times.

Mark Kim, representing Lacamas, is the 2017 200 Free Washington State High School Champion (1:40.76) and will be competing in the 100 Free, 400 Free, and 1500 Free events at Senior Sectionals, as well as several relays. He and his brother, Jaden Kim, also won the State High School title in the 200 Free Relay (1:26.82) with Eric Wu and Tom Utas. Jaden, also representing Lacamas, is competing in the 200 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Fly and 50 Free this week.

Eric Wu in the 400 IM.

Utas, a Camas High School graduate, is also the Washington State 50 Free Champion (21.07) setting a new team record. He added another record placing 3rd in the 100 Free with a time of 46.74. Utas will compete in the 100 Free, 200 Free, 100 Fly, and 50 Free events this week, representing CRST.

Max Dolbinin, a recent Heritage High School graduate, placed 4th in the 100 Free (47.25) and 5th in the 50 Free (21.50) at State. Representing CRST, he will be competing in the 100 Free, 200 Free Bonus, 100 Fly, and 50 Free events this week.

Finn McClone added to the Papermaker Championship in February with 7th place in the 100 Free (48.85) and 5th place in the 100 Back (54.27).

Wu competes in an incredible six events at Senior Sectionals: 100 Breastroke, 200 Free, 400 IM, 100 Breastroke, 100 Fly, and 200 IM.

In total, CRST is sending 10 swimmers. Avery Gunderson, Andrew Chang, Christian Madden, Benjamin Phelps, Nick Wahlman, and Ilia Zablotovskii have been training rigorously for the meet.

“I’m just trying to drop time in my events and hopefully that can put me into finals,” said Chang. “This summer is just about closing out my high school career strong, and set myself up well for college.”

Dolbinin says “Sectionals is a prep meet for Futures, and I want to get good times to have a good spot at Futures, and see what else I have to work on before Futures.”

To learn more, visit: Senior Sectionals

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