Tule Nation Tritons was the third largest team at Junior Olympic with Clovis bringing 91 swimmers and Fresno Dolphins fielding 47 swimmers. With less than half the number of swimmers as Clovis, our 43 swimmers scored 3,191 points to Cloviss 3,853 when combining individual and relay events for both male and female 14-under events at the meet. Although our girls were behind Clovis 1,627 to their 2,446 points, our boys outscored Clovis 1,564 to their 1,407 points. When considering only individual events, TNT would have scored 8 combined points behind Clovis, 2,321 to their 2,329. Twenty-eight teams competed at the meet.
The team point accumulation was led by our high point winners. The brother-sister duo of Preston and Precilla Niayesh were the sole first-place high point recipients at the meet. Ten year old Preston Niayesh scored 166 points and was the event champion in 5 events: 50 fly (35.33), 50 breast (41.79), 100 breast (1:29.07), 200 IM (2:55.97) and 100 fly (1:18.15) events, while his sister, Precilla, scored 88 points and swam away with the 8-under high point by winning 50 free (38.14) and 50 back (45.77) events. Four additional swimmers scored into the 2nd or 3rd high point positions including Peyton Costa (2nd 8-under boy, 77 points), JD Koster (3rd 10-under boy, 127 points), Khloe McCarthy (2nd 13-14 girl, 143 points), Mallory Koenwinder (3rd 13-14 girl, 125 points), Kyle Grissom (3rd place 13-14 boy, 124 points), and Danielle Albright (3rd place 8-under girl, 82 points).
Although 15-over swimmers were not allowed to score at the meet, 10 additional swimmers besides Preston were event champions at the meet, and they included: Danielle Albright (50 breast, 49.26), 15-over Wes Coles (100 fly, 58.82; 400 IM, 4:55.57), Kyle Grissom (100 fly, 1:03.60), 13-14 Chris Hansen (200 breast, 2:44.20), 13-14 Mallory Korenwinder (200 breast, 2:50.24), 15-over Colin Landweer (200 free, 1:59.27; 50 free, 24.97; 100 free, 54.90) , 13-14 Khloe McCarthy (800 free, 10:02.75 & 200 back, 2:36.03), 8-under Jazmine Niayesh (50 free, 38.14 & 50 back, 45.77), 15-over Chris Nolan (200 fly, 2:14.56), 15-over Nathan Rhea (200 IM, 2:13.91; 200 breast, 2:29.58).
Not only did Preston lead the team in individual point accumulation, he also led the team in the number of team records broken. Preston broke a team record in 5 of the 9 events he participated in. Both prelim (41.81) and final (41.79 76th fastest time in the nation) performances in the 50 breaststroke were under his pre-existing record of 42.37, and his final swim of 1:29.07 (34th fastest in the nation) in the 100 breaststroke went under his previous record of 1:30.92 that was set in May. Preston had also set the team record in the 200 IM while at Bakersfield last month (3:02.04), and went well under that time while at Junior Olympics (2:55.97 178th nationally). The 100 butterfly was a new record for Preston. He swam 1:18.15 (85th nationally) in the final heat to go under Micah Storeys 1:22.34 set at Junior Olympics in 1987. Both Preston and JD Koster went under the pre-existing record while at this years Junior Olympics. JDs time was 1:19.15 which is currently the 107th fastest time in the nation. Prestons 100 freestyle time of 1:12.98 (336th nationally ranked time) was also a new team record for him; breaking Parkers pre-existing record of 1:13.11 set at last years JOs.
Two additional swimmers set team records while at the meet. Thirteen year old Mallory Korenwinder swam 1:17.16 (25th fastest time nationally) in the 100 breaststroke to go under Joclyn Fords 1:18.74 set at Speedo Grand Challenge in 2003. Ten year old Madison McCarthy also obtained a new team record swimming 2:38.61 (320th fastest in the nation) in the 200 free, breaking Breanne Boghosians previous record of 2:39.53 set at the Golden Empire Swim Teams meet at Bakersfield in 1994.
Fourteen additional team records were broken in relay events, led by the 13-14 girls who cleared the record board of all preexisting records by resetting all five events. Additionally, the team of Mia Newkirk, Mallory Korenwinder, Emily Goodbar and Bre Abell swam under the Central California Swimming record in both the 200 medley and 400 medley relays.
10-under girls 200 free (2:28.36): Janessa Bringe, Danielle Albright, Precilla Niayesh, Madison McCarthy
11-12 boys 200 medley (2:21.79): Michael Jia, Alonso Escobedo, Parker Giles, Luke Dignan
13-14 girls:
· 200 free (1:56.86): Bre Abel, Allyson Duffy, Mallory Korenwinder, Mia Newkirk
· 400 free (4:19.88): Bre Abel, Emily Goodbar, Allyson Duffy, Katelyn Herrera
· 800 free (9:25.95): Allyson Duffy, Mallory Korenwinder, Khloe Mc Carthy, Katelyn Herrera
· 200 medley (2:09.73): Mia Newkirk, Mallory Korenwinder, Emily Goodbar, Bre Abell
· 400 medley (4:45.27): Mia Newkirk, Mallory Korenwinder, Emily Goodbar, Bre Abel
13-14 boys:
· 400 free (4:17.41): Kyle Grissom, Owen Ansel, Noah Haworth, Chris Hansen
· 200 medley (2:09.14): Owen Ansel, Chris Hansen, Kyle Grissom, Noah Haworth
· 400 medley (4:43.12): Owen Ansel, Chris Hansen, Kyle Grissom, Noah Haworth
15-18 boys:
· 200 free (1:43.16): Colin Landweer, Chris Nolan, Sam Hansen, Nathan Rhea
· 800 free (8:22.97): Wes Coles, Nathan Rhea, Sam Hansen, Colin Landweer
· 200 medley (1:54.94): Nathan Rhea, Sam Hansen, Chris Nolan, Colin Landweer
· 400 medley (4:08.54): Nathan Rhea, Sam Hansen, Wes Coles, Colin Landweer
The team maintained a 71% improvement rate with 12 swimmers improving all events entered. Congratulations to perfect performances from: Luke Dignan (9 of 9 events), Kyle Grissom (9 of 9), Noah Haworth (3 of 3), Michael Jia (8 of 8), Dax Korenwinder (5 of 5), Mallory Korenwinder (9 of 9), Jacqui Koster (3 of 3), JD Koster (8 of 8), Jimmy Koster (3 of 3), Paul Lerro (2 of 2), Madison McCarthy (9 of 9), and Satoshi Shinkawa (1 of 1).
Nine TNT swimmers went on to represent Central California Swimming at the Western Zone Age Group meet. Congratulations to: Allyosn Duffy, Emily Goodbar (who made her first Sectional cut while at JOs in the 200 fly), Kyle Grissom, Katelyn Herrera, Mallory Korenwinder, JD Koster, Khloe McCarthy, Preston Niayesh and Chris Nolan.