Three members qualified for regionals
The Manta Ray youth swim team recently made a big splash at the
Pacific Swim Region’s Junior Olympic Championships, which took
place earlier this month in Pacifica.
Three members qualified for regionals
The Manta Ray youth swim team recently made a big splash at the Pacific Swim Region’s Junior Olympic Championships, which took place earlier this month in Pacifica.
The Manta Ray’s, which swim out of Rovella’s Gym in Hollister, finished 17th in the prestigious meet, which included some 70 teams that represented the huge geographical area that stretches from Crescent City to Monterey and Reno.
The Manta Ray’s were the highest scoring team of any local club team that entered the championships. In all, six swimmers from the Manta Rays qualified for the event. In order to qualify the swimmers had to register specific times in their respective events at other qualifying meets throughout the season.
Leading the way for the Manta Rays was 9-year-old Chloe Isleta, who competed in the 9-10 division where she finished first overall in the 200 IM with a time of 2:28.91. Isleta also took second in the 500 freestyle (5:58.73), and had a pair of fourth-place finishes in the 200 freestyle (2:17.89) and the 100 backstroke (1:12.95)
What impressed head coach David Steele most was the fact that Isleta was able to put up such times and finishes going up against a number of 10-year olds.
“That extra age is a huge jump at this level of swimming,” Steele said.
While the Isleta was putting up strong times in her division her sister Czsarina performed well in the 12-year-old age bracket. In that division Czsarina finished fourth in both the 200 and 500 freestyle events (2:04.30 and 5:25.44) and took fifth in the 200 IM with a time of 2:21.23.
The final Manta Ray swimmer to make it all the way to the championship finals bracket was 10-year-old Thomas Rich. Rich finished third in the 500 freestyle event with a time of 6:06.53.
The remaining Manta Ray swimmers that competed in Pacifica but failed to qualify for the finals were: Graham and Gus Spurzem and Celina Stotler.
“Every one of them are real hard workers,” Steele said. “That’s why they made it as far as they did. They practice everyday, and their parents are all very supportive and encouraging.”
The Pacific Swim Region’s next Junior Olympic event takes place in March.
