Sixty-seven TNT swimmers braved the cold while they competed at the TNT meet in Tulare over the December 6-7 weekend. Out of the sixty-seven swimmers, only one team record was broken over the weekend. Seventeen year old Katherine Bristow swam a 1:10.25 in the 100 yard breaststroke event thereby breaking the team record previously held by Jordan Morillo and set at Sectionals in 2007. Katherine is currently our sole remaining Sectional qualifier who holds a qualifying time in the 200 IM. Her 1:10.25 now qualifies for the Grand Prix meet to be held in Long Beach in January, as well as the Janet Evans Invitational to be held at USC in May. Katherine will travel to
First place finishes at the meet went to several TNT swimmers: Josh Avila, age 12 (50 breaststroke); Katherine Bristow, age 17 (100 free, 100 back & 100 breast); Greyson Canterbury, age 11 (100 fly); Wesley Coles, age 14 (100 free, 100 fly & 200 breast); Alex Ellis, age 13 (100 back); Chris Ewins, age 12 (100 free & 50 free); Hannah Giles, age 14 (200 breast, 50 free & 100 breast); Simon Grigoryan, age 10 (100 breast); Cori Hoover, age 14 (100 free); Jazmine Niayesh, age 6 (25 fly); Savanah Nolan, age 8 (50 breast & 25 breast); Caleb Peltzer, age 6 (25 free); and Nathan Rhea, age 13 (100 back & 200 free).
The average improvement percentage for the team was 41%. Although less than the 50% that would suggest a successful meet in terms of improvement, this percentage is impressive when considering how cold the meet was. Nevertheless, the following eight swimmers still maintained a 100% improvement rate: Rebecca Bristow, Greyson Canterbury, Simon Grigoryan, Augus Guerrero, Bryan Horsting, Mathew Jacobs, Conor Martin and Landon Molin.
Our team also had several individuals who entered events that had never been recorded on the team prior to this meet. Most of these swimmers swam TNT for their first time: Max Bricker (age 14), Cameron Cardoza (7), Thys Jacobi (8), David Jacobs (44), Joshua Kelly (11), Jenna Koetsier (8), Makenna Mason (10), Corey Nolan (16), Noee Ortiz (12), Rebekah Schlick (15), Andrea Troung (8), Keshin Visahan (9), and Virginia Weece (18). Congratulations, and welcome to TNT.
Although our team did not have any high point winners for this meet going into the Winter Age Group Championships and the Winter Invitational, we had several individuals awarded as runner up in their various age groups. First runner up recipients went to: Madison McCarthy and Preston Niayesh both of the 7-8 age group, Chris Ewins of the 11-12 age group, and Hannah Giles of the 13-14 age group. Second runner up recipients went to Savanah Nolan and Dax Korenwinder both of the 7-8 age group, Parker Giles of the 9-10 age group, and Cori Hoover of the 13-14 age group.