Local Swimmers Experience Successes at Summer Meets

Local swimmers from Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) and Lacamas Headhunters have seen a lot of competition this season with the Summer Blast Swim meet series, Senior Sectionals, State Championship, and now at Futures National Championship, which is located in Santa Clara, CA.

The Summer Blast series is designed to keep the athletes swimming competitively while preparing for the larger events. Senior Sectionals brought swimmers from all over the Western US region (including college-level athletes), and saw some gains and improved personal times for both clubs. CRST swimmers are in peaking training mode with twice-a-day practices at two pools.

“It’s a pretty intense time,” said CRST swimmer, Max Dolbinin. “We’ve been focusing on the larger meets.”

CRST coach Darlene Hill has been pleased with results from State, and says her team is currently seeing personal bests at Futures this weekend.

“We’ve had several successes this summer,” said Hill. “The kids have been working hard.”

Ilia Zablotovskii swims in the 200 M Medley Relay at Senior Sectionals.

Mark Kim, of Lacamas Headhunters Swim Club, at warm-ups at Senior Sectionals.

Maddie Wick at Summer Blast #3.

State Long Course Competition

State competition, held just last week at Mt. Hood Community College, also saw gains and improvements for the swimmers.

Here are some State stats from local club swimmers:

Madison Wick, CRST: 50 Free (29.40) – 2nd place
Annette Chang, CRST: 50 Free (29.40) – 3rd place
Justin Xue, CRST: 50 Free (26.58) – 3rd place
Tom Utas, CRST: 50 Free (24.15) – 2nd place
Avery Gunderson, CRST: 200 Breaststroke (2:54.54)
Eric Wu, CRST: 100 Breastroke (1:08.96) – 2nd place
Madison Wick, CRST: 100 Back (1:15.37) – 3rd place
Annette Chang, CRST: 50 Free (1:15.83) – 3rd place
Finn McClone, CRST: 200 Back (2:16.17) – 2nd place
Eric Wu, CRST: 200 IM (2:16.02) – 3rd place
Andrew Chang, CRST: 200 IM (2:20.52)
Jace Creech, Lacamas HH: 200 IM (2:30.47)
Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Free (28.53) – 1st place – 11 y/o
Sammy Empey, CRST: 100 Fly (1.08.01) – 1st place – 11 y/o
Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Back (33.00) – 1st place – 11 y/o
Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Fly (30.60) – 1st place – 11 y/0
Sammy Empey, CRST: 100 Free (1:02.04) – 1st place – 11 y/0
Nathan Kim, Lacamas HH: 50 Back (33.63) – 3rd place
Finn McClone, CRST: 400 Free (4:25.64) – 3rd place
Finn McClone, Ilia Zablotovskii, Jacob McCarthy, Christian Madden, CRST: 200 M Medley Relay (1:53.65)
Alex Wahlman, Steven Wu, Caden Lee, Sammy Empey: 400 M Free Relay (4:37.90) 3rd place 11 y/o
Nick Wahlman, CRST: 200 Fly (2:25.25) – 2nd place
Tom Utas, CRST: 100 Free (53:34) – 2nd place
Max Dolbinin, CRST: 100 Free (54.23) – 2nd place
Ilia Zablotovskii, Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 400 Free Relay (3:36.88) 1st place
Eric Wu, CRST: 400 IM (4:43.31) – 1st place
Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Illia Zablotovskii, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 200 Free Relay (1:38.45)
Nick Wahlman, CRST: 200 Breaststroke (2:32.95) – 2nd place
Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Finn McClone, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 800 M Relay (8.08.27) – 1st place

Futures National Championships

These championships, located in Santa Clara, CA, are open to swimmers who are members of USA Swimming, and who have achieved the published time standard in one or more events.

“It’s a great pool, exciting to race all the fast swimmers around,” said Dolbinin, of the Futures National. This is his second time to attend this meet.

Currently, CRST swimmers has seen personal best times at this meet. Current stats are as follows: