The longest race in competitive swimming, outside of an open-water swim, is the 1500 freestyle. Considered from a swimming perspective as, the mile, this race is 30 lengths of a 50-meter pool, or 66 lengths of a 25-yard pool (1650 yards). The time of 15:53.59 is the minimum time standard to compete at this years Olympic Trials in this event. Robert Yribarren of Selma swam a time of 15:58.18 at the meet which places him a mere 4.59 seconds from the time standard at an early season meet. His time was fast enough for a ninth place finish, which was his second highest place. His top event in terms of place came in the 800 freestyle where his time of 8:26.74 was the 6th fastest time at the meet. Although the 800 freestyle is not an Olympic event for the men, the 400 freestyle is. Bobby swam to a 14th place finish in that event with a time of 4:03.70 that placed him 3.71 seconds from the Olympic Trial cut in that event. Both the 1500 and 800 freestyle events resulted in team records for Bobby in events where he had set the record last year at Sectionals. His previous 1500 time was 16:13.43, while his previous 800 time was 8:28.13. Bobby will be competing in the 10K at the Open Water Nationals held at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club in Fort Myers, Florida on Friday, April 27th.
The only other swimmer to experience a second swim at the meet way Wesley Coles, and he did so in both butterfly events. Wesley competed at both long course and short course Junior Nationals last year in the 200 fly event, and he swam to a 21st place finish at the Swim Meet of Champions with a time of 2:08.45 which places him 2.16 second from this summers Junior National cut, 3.46 seconds from the National cut, and 4.46 seconds from the Olympic Trial cut. His 58.31 in the preliminary heats of the 100 meter fly was enough to get him to the bonus heat in that event.
Fourteen year old Emily Goodbar of Selma has established a trend of record-breaking performance in the 200 fly event for short course that started last November, and seemingly with no end. Now with this early long course meet, Emily continues that record breaking streak, but now in long course. Her time of 2:24.64 in the 200 meter fly event at the meet shattered one of the longest remaining team records on the books. Lynnie North had set the record to a 2:28.36 during the final heat at Zones in Santa Clara back in 1990. Emily is nearly four seconds under the preexisting record, and her time currently stands as the 32nd fastest time of any 14-year old girl in the nation for this year.
Two swimmers improved all events that were entered in the meet. Chris Nolan improved a total of 49 seconds in five events, with his largest improvement of over 31 seconds occurring in his 800 freestyle (9:01.32). Fourteen year old Lauren Davis of Fig Garden had two times that had been previously recorded with the team, and her largest improvement of 4.5 seconds came in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.25). Joseph Cobarrubias of Fig Garden recorded three new long course times with the team.
The following table lists our 2012 SMOC Team along with the event of their highest place: