Twenty-three TNT swimmers competed at the Merced long course meet during the third weekend of April. Ten year old Preston Niayesh led our team in record breaking performances setting three new team records, all of which are new records for him. Preston began with the 50 meter breaststroke with a time of 43.01, shaving under one of our longest standing records set by Dax Brott as 43.29 during 1987 while competing in Bakersfield. Prestons time currently ranks 5th nationally for all 10-yaer old boys in the event early in this long course season. Currently the fastest time in the nation for a 10-year old boy is 41.48. Preston went on to shatter the teams 100 breaststroke record with a time of 1:31.38 that also currently stands among the top 5 times in the nation. The current top time in the nation is 1:28.17. Dax Brotts previous team record set in Bakersfield in 1987 was 1:35.43. Finally, Prestons time of 3:04.78 went under Alonso Escobedos 200 IM team record that was set as 3:05.13 at Junior Olympics last summer. Early long course national rankings would place Prestons time as the 38th fastest in the nation.
Striving for her second Sectional cut, 12-year old Mallory Korenwinder swam 1:19.90 in the 100 meter breaststroke, thereby improving her previous team record of 1:20.48 set last year at Junior Olympics. A former nationally ranked swimmer at age 10, Mallorys time currently ranks 8th in the nation for all 12 year old girls.
Tule Nation Triton swimmers took home five High Point awards from Merced. Preston Niayesh, who was the leader in team record-breaking performances, was also our sole swimmer who competed uncontested, winning all 10 of 10 events he had entered. Preston thereby became the 10-under boy High Point winner. Mallory Korenwinder won 3 of her 10 events and scored enough points to edge out teammate Amber Khieralla by one point in what was the most competitive age group (11-12 girls) at the meet. Katelyin Herrera was an event champion in 5 of her 10 events, and the success granted her the High Point award for the 13-14 girls division, and her counterpart, Chris Noaln, was the event champion in six of his eight events, thereby becoming the High Point recipient in the 13-14 boys division.
Improvement rates were led by the perfect performances (100% improvement) of Danielle Albright (improved 7 of 7 events), Khloe McCarthy (improved 8 of 8) and Madison McCarthy (improved 8 of 8). Those improving 50% or more of their times included Preston Niayesh (90%), Allyson Duffy (89%), Chris Hansen (83%), Mallory Korenwinder (80%), Katherine Sullivan (80%), Athena Niayesh (75%), Priscilla Niayesh (67%), Mia Newkirk (63%), and Chris Nolan (63%).
A welcome goes to 11 year old Adam Simonian and 12 year old Amber Khieralla as they record their first long course times with the team.
