Lanelines - Late Breaking News from Mission San Jose Aquatics

General membership meeting - MSJA Spaghetti Feed - MSJA Meet Schedule - Team Top 10 updates - There is something special going on here! By Coach Debbie

(PRWEB) February 26, 2005 -- Five months into our season, we have already achieved a lot of what we set out to do. The senior group has achieved a new US Open Qualifying Time, three new Junior National Qualifying Times, nine team records, and 59 personal records at two championship meets... all this, with only three days rest behind them. There is something special going on here.

Pacific Age-Group Championships
December 3-5, 2004

Bob Chen won five events, set four team records and posted a National Reportable Top 10 Time (NRT) in the 200 Breast. Bob was seeded in the top five in all nine events, and he eased into nine finals with some very conservative morning swims. For Bob, finals were show time". He won the 200 Breast and smashed his own team record by 3 seconds with a new NRT time of 2:11.62. He won the 100 Breast, lowering his own team record to 1:01.74. He won the 400 IM with a time of 4:17.23 breaking Chris Cobles record, a record that has stood since 1997. He won the 200 Fly with a time of 1:59.07 and he erased Jonathon Tikhonoffs name from our record board. Bob also finished first in the 200 IM with a season best of 1:59.79 and placed top three in four other events. He finished second in the 200 free and 100 fly with season bests of 1:49.98 and 54.02. He placed third in the 100 and 200 backstrokes, and posted a best time of 2:02.98 in the 200 back. Overall, Bob placed 2nd in the high point standings and earned a spot on the Pacific All Star Team.

The youngest in our group, thirteen-year-old, Edward Huang had a tremendous meet. Fast Eddie" swam away with eleven best times. He qualified for finals in five events, the 100 free, 200 back, 100 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM, and in each of these 5 events, he improved his times again in finals. In finals he set his new best times at: 53.20 in the 100 free, 2:10.18 in the 200 Back, 2:08.74 in the 200 IM, 4:39.49 in the 400 IM and 58.79 in the 100 Fly (new Q). Edward also swam a best time of 1:09.57 in the 100 breast.

Sarah Larson earned new Q times in the 100 Free, 100 back, 200 back and 200 IM. She entered the meet with a best time of 58.11 in the 100 Free. In prelims, she lowered her time to 56.72 and in finals she sprinted to a swift 55.98. Sarahs best time in the 100 back was 1:06.99. In prelims, she improved her time to 1:05.29 and in finals she lowered her time to 1:04.10. Sarah improved her 200 IM time by 3.9 seconds setting her new best time at 2:19.94 and she improved her 200 Back by seven seconds clocking 2:20.69.

Jessica Leandro and AJ Griffeth swam exceptionally well. Jessica swam four events and improved in every one of them! 50 Free 26.71, 100 Free 58.23, 100 Breast 1:16.37, 200 Breast 2:46.05. AJ swam 3 events and earned all best times. AJ achieved a new Q time in the 200 back with a time of 2:13.28. He swam best times in the 50 free and 100 back with times of 25.20 and 1:02.43.

Victoria Pichay and Nick Raimondi showed improvements too. Victoria improved in her sprint free with a time of 26.34 in the 50 and she dropped her 200 back time by 7 seconds posting her new best at 2:18.9 9 (new Q). Nick was just getting back into swimming shape" following freshman football and he managed to swim away with three best times: 100 Fly (59.11), 200 IM (2:11.84) and 400 IM (4:40.93).

Southern California Senior Invitational
December 17-19, 2004

At the Southern California Senior Invitational, December 17-19, Jenisse DeMeulenaere and Ellie Monobe broke through to new standards of swimming.

Jenisse made her first ever US Open Qualifying time in the 100 Free with a time of 51.62. For the first time, Jenisse was the top seed going into finals. Her splits were excellent, especially with just a 3 day rest behind her. She split her first 50 at 25.0 and her second 50 at 26.6. In finals, she finished 2nd with a time of 52.11 (her second fastest time yet).

Jenisse improved her 200 free time by two seconds and earned a new Junior National Qualifying time of 1:54.16. Jenisse also made the championship finals in the 50 free and 100 fly and posted best times in both. She sprinted to a 24.08 (best time) in the 50 free prelims and 24.06 in finals to place 4th. In the 100 fly, her best time came in prelims, with a time of 57.79.

Ellie Monobe achieved her first ever Junior National Qualifying Time in the 100 breast and then achieved a second Jr. National Qualifying Time in the 200 breast!

In the prelims of the 100 breast, Ellie swam a Junior National time of 1:06.47 and earned a berth in championship finals. In finals she swam her 2nd fastest time (1:06.78) and placed 8th. In the prelims of the 200 breast, Ellie swam a Jr. National time of 2:23.04 and qualified 4th. Her splits were impressive (33.0, 36.5, 36.8 and 36.7). In finals, Ellie improved her 200 breast time to 2:21.94 and finished 3rd overall. What accounted for this outstanding drop between prelims and finals? Well, Ellie went out a full 1.5 seconds faster and held on for a great finish. Her splits were: 32.2, 35.8, 36.6, 36.9.

Overall, Ellie had a stellar swim meet. She improved in every event she swam. Besides the breaststroke events, she improved in the 100 free (54.08), 100 Fly (58.75), 200 IM (2:10.75) and 400 IM (4:37.18).

Bob Chen continued to swim fast. He broke his own team records in the 200 Breast and 200 IM with NRT times of 2:11.17 and 1:58.19. He also turned in season bests in the 100 Back (55.92) and 100 Fly (53.77).

Chris Nguyen certainly swam faster than he ever has on a 3 day rest. He set personal records in the 100 back (54.92), 200 back (2:01.07) and 100 fly (52.36). The Junior National Qualifying Time in the 100 Fly is 51.89 and Chris is closing in. Chris also turned in season bests in the 50 and 100 free, and he wasnt too far off his all time best. His time of 22.22 was less than a tenth off his best 50 free time. His time of 49.64 put him within 6 tenths of his best 100 free time.

Karin Schleicher has been training harder than ever, both in the pool and in the weight room and she is looking forward to taper time, come February. Karin swam this meet pretty tired and still managed to turn in personal bests in the 100 Back (1:02.13) and the 200 Back (2:17.77). She also came within 3 tenths of her 200 free best, with a time of 2:00.52.

Ian Borck and Erin Morgan came home with many season bests. Ian turned in season bests in all five of his events and was within tenths of his best marks in the 100 free, 100 breast, 200 IM, 200 Free. Erin turned in season bests in 6 of 7 events. Erin also qualified for two championship finals and placed 4th in the 100 breast (1:05.62) and 6th in the 200 IM (2:08.09).

Hell Days
December 26, 2004 -- January 7, 2005

Following Christmas, 18 seniors survived Hell Days. Congratulations to: Chris Nguyen, Ian Borck, Bob Chen, Jenisse DeMeulenaere, Ellie Monobe, Karin Schleicher, Edward Huang, Rebecca Kwong, Jessica Leandro, Mitra Naima, Chris Piquette, Nick Raimondi, Melissa Siew, Carl Talaue, Jeffrey Fong, Christine Gee, Victoria Pichay and Briana Wing.

Pacific Swimming Awards Banquet
January 8, 2005

Bob Chen and Chris Nguyen were award winners at the Pacific Swimming Awards Banquet. Bob was honored as one of the most outstanding 13-14 swimmers for the 2003-2004 swim season. Chris was selected at the most outstanding Western Zone All Star Swimmer for 17-18 boys.

Pacific Coast Quad Meet,
January 22-23, 2005

Fourteen year-old, Bob Chen represented Pacific Swimming at the Pacific Coast Quad Meet. Bob swam this meet un-rested and unshaved and exceptionally fast! He achieved three personal and team records. Bob placed 2nd in the 100 breast, 3rd in the 200 fly and 4th in the 400 IM with record setting times of 1:01.69, 1:58.47 and 4:17.13.

There is something special going on here!

I already mentioned the fact that we achieved 53 personal records with just a 3 day rest behind us at two championship meets. But we have also managed to achieve 73 personal records during our early season meets (mostly our new comers) and we even earned 24 personal records at the fun meet in Vegas... but remember, what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas... but we can recognize personal bests. Kudos to Erin Morgan who swam her first ever 200 fly at the Rebel Invitational. She even managed to like the event and earn a sectional qualifying time. Kudos to all seniors who turned in best times in Las Vegas: Ellie (100/200 back and 500 free), Mikhaila Saso (200 back), Christine Gee (50 free, 200 free and 100 back), Jenisse (500 free), Beth McGarry (best time 200 free and 200 breast), Jessica (200 free), Chris N (200 fly), AJ (100 free, 100 fly), Carl Talaue (50 free, 200 free), Nick (100 free, 200 back, 200 IM), Chris Piquette (100 fly), Jeffrey Fong (50 free, 100 fly and 200 IM), Edward Huang (200 free).

Keep it up!
Coach Debbie

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