Sixteen TNT swimmers competed at the 2014 June Age Group Invitational hosted by Buena Ventura in Ventura over the June 19-22 weekend, and performances resulted in two records being broken, and an additional record being tied.
Twelve year old Visalia swimmer, Janessa Bringe, swam 2:49.89 in the 200 meter butterfly event to match Katelyn Herrera’s team record that was set in 2009 at the San Luis Obispo Firecracker meet nearly five years earlier. Her time currently ranks 238th in the nation among all 12-year old girls who brave the event. Ten year old Peyton Costa had set the team record in the 100 meter backstroke with a time of 1:23.18 at the Clovis meet the previous month, and now at the June Age Group Invitational, both Toby Jones, who swam 1:23.06, and Peyton Costa went under that pre-existing record, Peyton swimming 1:22.93 to retain the record. Peyton’s time ranks 164th nationally, while Toby’s time ranks 176th. Jackson Huckabay had set the 10-under 50 backstroke record last summer during Junior Olympics as a 37.80, and Peyton Costa slid under the previous record to set it at 37.44, and a time that breaks into the top-100 performances in the nation at 91st.
Peyton led the team in points from individual events, earning top-8 finishes in five of his six events, and these included the 100 breast (3rd – 1:31.96), 100 back (5th – 1:22.93), 50 back (6th – 37.44), 100 free (7th – 1:11.79) and 50 breast (7th – 43.84). Toby Jones was our next highest point getter earning top-8 finishes in four of his six events, including the 50 breast (3rd – 43.03), 100 breast (4th – 1:33.62), 100 back (6th – 1:23.06) and 200 IM (6th – 2:55.62). Our other top-8 finishers included Owen Ansel who finished 5th in the 100 breast (1:10.67), Janessa Bringe who finished 7th in the 400 free (4:58.81), Morgan Coddington who finished 7th in the 400 IM (5:27.00) and 8th in the 200 breaststroke (2:56.74), Skylar Ford who finished 6th in the 50 fly (32.58), and Jakob Koorey finishing 6th in the 100 breast (1:15.78). Additional top-16 finishers along with their highest place include: Danielle Albright (9th), Alonso Escobedo (9th), Khloe McCarthy (9th), Megan Ridenour (16th), and Katherine Sullivan (12th).
Our sixteen swimmers maintained a 74% improvement rate with five swimmers improving 100% of their times. Congratulations to: Janessa Bringe (6 of 6 improvements), Desmond Brown (4 of 4), Alonso Escobedo (7 of 7), Toby Jones (6 of 6) and Benjamin Wheeler (3 of 3). Those who improved 50% or more of their times include: Katherine Sullivan (88%), Danielle Albright (83%), Peyton Costa (83%), Jakob Koorey (75%), Morgan Coddington (67%), Skylar Ford (67%), and Khloe McCarthy (67%).
Congratulations also go to Visalia swimmer Daniel Haley who qualified for his first AA meet, and finished 24th in the 200 free, Gage Price who competed at his first June Age Group Invite and finished 18th in the 200 free, and Desmond Brown who also qualified and competed at his first Age Group Invitational, and who finished 18th in the 50 breaststroke event.