Hollister swimmer Chloe Isleta saved her best for, well, first.
In the very first event on the very first day of finals at the Far
Western Long Course Championships in Concord last month, the
12-year-old swimmer shattered a nine-year-old Pacific Swimming
record when she clocked a 5:10.91 in the 400-meter Individual
Medley.
HOLLISTER
Hollister swimmer Chloe Isleta saved her best for, well, first.
In the very first event on the very first day of finals at the Far Western Long Course Championships in Concord last month, the 12-year-old swimmer shattered a nine-year-old Pacific Swimming record when she clocked a 5:10.91 in the 400-meter Individual Medley.
While also swimming away with first place in the event by nearly nine seconds, Isleta joined some elite company with her record-setting performance.
A swimmer for the Manta Rays at Rovella’s Athletic Club in Hollister, Isleta narrowly eclipsed the 5:11.11 mark set in 2001 by Kate Dwelley, who is currently swimming at Stanford on a full-ride scholarship and recently attended the FINA World Championships in Rome last year, representing the United States.
In other words, the Hollister product is following in some sizable foot steps.
“Chloe is looking good,” Rovella’s head coach Dave Steele said. “You don’t break records looking bad.”
Isleta defeated Crow Canyon’s Ariana Saghafi (5:19.66) comfortably for the top spot in the 400 IM, and later recorded a 2:27.23 to take first place in the 200 IM as well.
But it was just before the 400 IM race when Steele sat down alongside the pool next to Paul Stafford, who coaches the Terrapins Swim Team of Concord where Dwelley previously competed.
Stafford didn’t have a swimmer in the 400 IM race, and wasn’t paying any attention when Isleta broke the nine-year-old mark.
“But that woke him up,” Steele recalled.
“He was really gracious.”
Isleta was the lone qualifier from the Manta Rays who advanced to finals at Far Westerns, although 90 percent of the Rovella’s team did achieve qualifying times to the year-end event, including Amber Christ, Michaela Krulee, Czsarina Isleta, Quinn Six, Celina Stotler, Alex Vargas and Brian Pribyl.
“For the most part, they all took time off and improved from their previous bests,” Steele said.
Pribyl, of Gilroy, did take second place in the 400 IM (5:15.58) at the Pacific Swimming Long Course Junior Olympics in Orinda last month, and later added a pair of third-place finishes in the 200 fly (2:17.65) and the 200 IM (2:26.03) as well.
Czsarina Isleta, 15, also swum to a third-place finish in the 200 IM with a 2:34.38, while Vargas, 12, finished third in the 1,500-meter freestyle event with a 20:27.60.
Chloe Isleta, meanwhile, dominated the competition at Junior Olympics, which was held two weeks before Far Westerns.
In seven events, Isleta recorded six first-place finishes in the 100 back (1:09.39), 200 back (2:29.91), 200 IM (2:28.51), 400 IM (5:17.80), 800 free (9:49.42) and 1,500 free (18:56.97). In her seventh event, the 50-meter backstroke, Isleta finished in second place in 32.72.
The Manta Rays are on a two-week break but will be back in training on Aug. 23, preparing for their opening meet at the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center on Sept. 4-5.
Pacific Swimming Long Course Junior Olympics
Orinda — July 15-18
Finals Results Only
Amber Christ — 400 free: 8, 5:36.21.
Michaela Krulee — 400 free: 5, 5:.33.68
Alex Vargas — 200 fly: 6, 2:44.08; 800 free: 7, 10:30.37; 1,500 free: 3, 20:27.60.
Brian Pribyl — 400 free: 6, 4:45.43; 200 fly: 3, 2:17.65; 200 IM: 3, 2:26.03; 400 IM: 2, 5:15.58.
Chloe Isleta — 50 back: 2, 32.72; 100 back: 1, 1:09.39; 200 back: 1, 2:29.91; 200 IM: 1, 2:28.51; 400 IM: 1, 5:17.80; 800 free: 1, 9:49.42; 1,500 free: 1, 18:56.97.
Czsarina Isleta — 100 breast: 6, 1:20.79; 200 IM: 3, 2:34.38; 400 IM: 6, 5:33.61.
Far Western Long Course Championships
Concord — July 28-Aug. 1
Final Results Only
Chloe Isleta — 50 free: 4, 28.60; 100 free: 4, 1:01.59; 50 back: 3, 32.82; 100 back: 4, 1:09.70; 200 back: 3, 2:28.60; 50 fly: 7, 31.01; 200 IM: 1, 2:27.23; 400 IM: 1, 5:10.91; 1,500 free: 2, 18:37.38.
