Young swimmer going the distance
She’s only a third grader at Ladd Lane Elementary School in
Hollister, but Chloe Isleta already knows that she wants to be an
Olympic swimmer someday.
Young swimmer going the distance
She’s only a third grader at Ladd Lane Elementary School in Hollister, but Chloe Isleta already knows that she wants to be an Olympic swimmer someday.
“I like swimming because it’s fun and you meet new friends,” Isleta said. “I like trying to get faster, too.”
At the U.S. Pacific Swimming Championships, which took place last month in Sunnyvale, the young swimmer took another step toward achieving her goal by winning all four events that she competed in to finish first overall in the girls 8-under division. The meet included the top swimmers from all over Northern California.
“She’s a most-skilled, highest achiever,” said Rovella’s Gym Swim Instructor Dave Steele, who has coached the young phenom for nearly three years. “She’s a hard worker. And her mom is interested in her success and very supportive of her.”
At the prestigious Sunnyvale event Isleta captured the 100 IM with a time of 1:15.78, the 100 freestyle with a mark of 1:06.40, the 50 butterfly (33.23) and the 50 backstroke with a record-tying time of 35.14.
“That’s the record that needs to be in the paper,” Steele said. “It had not been tied for 14 years. That was really impressive.”
In addition to Isleta another young swimmer from Rovella’s, 9-year-old Thomas Rich, finished third overall in the boys 10-under division.
“He’s a real hard worker too,” Steele said. “Success really comes down to two things – hard work and a great deal of support from the parents. Both of these kids have that.”
Isleta first became interested in swimming after watching her older sister Czsarina swim.
“After about five months taking her sister back and forth for lessons, she decided to get into it, too,” Chloe’s mother Cecille Doromal said. “She didn’t even know how to put her head in the water at first, but she learned pretty quick. I’m very proud of her. Her hard work is now paying off.”
Although she’ll be too young for the 2008 Olympic games, the family is hoping that she may be able to make an appearance at the 2012 games in Chicago – the year she turns 14.
“In 1970, Amanda Beard went to the U.S. Olympic team when she was 14. So it can be done,” Doromal said. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”
