In the annual YWCA national championships, held earlier this month in Charlotte, N.C., the YWCA Flying Fish had their best showing in the 11 years they have attended the annual competition. The Flying Fish were represented by more than 40 swimmers competing in the Junior Division (13 and under) and the Senior Division (14 and over).
Two Flying Fish in the Senior Division captured first place finishes in multiple events. Jane Munro was first in the 50 free, the 100 back and the 200 back. Setting a meet record, Kristina Walsh came in first in the 100 breast. She also placed first in the 200 IM, the 400 IM and the 200 breast. In the men’s Senior Division, Ben McBratney placed first in the 100 breast , and Nick Killeen was first in the 200 free. The men’s 400 free relay, Nick Killeen, AJ Chen-Young, Ben McBratney and Max Behles also placed first.
Both the Senior boys and girls were very strong overall, receiving the second highest point totals in their divisions of the 18 teams from around the country competing at the meet. In addition to the first place finishes, 11 swimmers qualified to compete in finals (Top 8), scoring points for the team: Senior Division: Max Behles, A.J. Chen-Young, Nick Killeen, Ben McBratney, Blake Morgan, Jane Munro, William Myers, C.J. Smith, Grant Smith, Kristina Walsh and Amanda Weidner.
The senior girls placed sixth in the 200 medley relay, with Weidner, Walsh, Lucy Myers and Maureen Gullen; fourth in the 400 medley relay, with Munro, Walsh, Myers and Gullen; and second in the 400 free relay, with Walsh, Gullen, Weidner and Munro. The senior boys relays also took second in the 200 medley relay, with Keven Henley, Myers, Chen-Young and Killeen; second in the 400 medley relay, with Behles, Myers, Chen-Young and Killeen; and second in the 200 free relay, with Chen-Young, Behles, Terry Silkaitis and Hunter Wilson.
In the Junior Division, Matteo Brucato and Ryan Knohl placed in the top eight. The Junior Boys placed fourth in the 200 medley relay, with Duncan Martinson, Brucato, Knohl and Andrew Owen, and eighth in the 400 free relay, with Brucato, Martinson, Owen and Knohl.
The Flying Fish also sent three swimmers – Max Behles, A.J. Chen-Young and C.J. Smith – to compete in the National Swim Coaches Association meet in Orlando, Fla., in March. In nationwide competition, C.J. Smith placed tenth in the 1,500 freestyle with at 16:14.98, setting a new team record and qualifying for Junior Nationals.