Phil

MISSY LeSTRANGE PLACES 3rd AT IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Nov 132015

The Ironman World Championships is known to be triathlon’s most iconic event that annually brings athletes from around the world together to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where they compete in one of the most challenging races that exist.

The Ironman distance consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike leg, and full 26.2 mile marathon run at the end. Our very own Missy LeStrange once again competed in the World Championships this past month, and finished with a life-time best time of 12 hours, 38 minutes, and 53 seconds. Her time maintains a world ranking of 103 for the 2015 age group, and placed 3^rd in the age group this year. Her 1 hour 14 minutes and 28 seconds swim split placed her with the third fastest swim time among the thirty competitors in her division with Rose Wilson swimming 1:11.08 and Laura Sophia swimming 1:13.37. Her bike time of 6:39.36 was the fifth fastest, and her run time of 4:34.23 was the third fastest competitor, and the fastest American runner in the field.

CONEJO/TNT/PLEASANT VALLEY TRI-MEET

Performance No Responses »

Nov 132015

Thirty-two TNT swimmers competed at the tri-meet hosted by Conejo Simi on Saturday, October 24^th prior to traveling further south to spend the day at Disneyland on Sunday. Our thirty were among the 167 that competed at the meet, with 92 of them representing the host team, Conejo Simi Swim Club. Our closest competitor in size and overall score was Pleasant Valley Swim Team who fielded 43 swimmers (21 female, and 22 male). Conejo Simi outscored all teams with 2,751 points, well ahead of Pleasant Valley’s 1,685 points and TNT’s 1,439 points. Our girls outscored Pleasant Valley 825 to 816, while Pleasant Valley outscored out ten boys 869 to 614.

Mallory Korenwinder swept her events, winning all three she competed in (200 IM – 2:14.35, 100 breast 1:07.05, 100 free – 55.69). Our other event champions included Danelle Albright (200 IM – 2:20.10 & 100 breast – 1:12.49), Allie Benegar (50 breast – 43.89, 50 fly – 40.75, 50 free – 34.97), Ella Bettencourt (50 free – 33.59), Ciara Clarke (50 back – 38.73), Peyton Costa (200 IM – 2:31.24, 100 back – 1:11.50, 100 breast – 1:22.65, 100 free – 1:01.98), Caroline Mendyk (100 IM – 1:21.15, 50 breast – 43.15, 50 fly – 39.75), Katherine Mendyk (200 IM – 2:25.29, 100 breast – 1:13.48), and Garrison Price (100 fly – 1:06.02).

Three of our swimmers improved 100% of their times. Congratulations to Bridget Benegar, Aidan Champagne, and Duncan Champagne for their perfect performance.

PRESTON NIAYESH SETS TEAM RECORD IN MERCED

Performance No Responses »

Nov 132015

Twenty seven TNT swimmers competed at the 2015 Gil Williams Memorial Halloween Meet over the October 24-25 weekend where Preston Niayesh nears the close of his 13-14 age division, and caps his performance with a new team record in the 100 yard breaststroke event swimming a time of 1:02.34 which slid under his previous team record of 1:02.81 that he set at the Selma meet one month earlier. His current time stands as the 22^nd fastest in the nation for male swimmers of age 14.

Preston was also undefeated at the meet, winning all seven of his events. Other uncontested TNT swimmers at the meet included Sienna Abernathy who won all four of her events in the 7-8 division, and Alsonso Escobedo who won all four of his events in the 15-16 division. Other event champions included Owen Ansel who won the 50 free, 100 breast and 200 IM events, Layla Flores who won the 200 breaststroke, and 400 IM events, Diego Gutierrez who won the 50 free, Noah Haworth winning the 100 fly and 500 free, Rylee Lord winning the 200 free, Luke Pena winning the 25 free, and Hunter Sartin who won the 50 fly.

Only a handful of swimmers maintained a 100% improvement percentage at the meet, and these included Isaac Gutierrez, Jacquelyn Oliveira, Joseph Oliveira, and Luke Pena.

TNT FIELDS FOUR SCHOLASTIC ALL AMERICA SWIMMERS

Performance, Uncategorized No Responses »

Nov 132015

USA Swimming annually recognizes individuals as Scholastic All America swimmers if they have been successful both in the classroom and in the swimming pool. This year, Central California Swimming lists seven individuals who have met the minimum requirements, and over half of them are TNT swimmers. Scholastic requirements include a minimum grade point average of a 3.5 during their sophomore year, while at the same time attaining a challenging time standard.

Our most recent Scholastic All America team includes Owen Ansel, Lauren Davis, Kyle Grissom and Mallory Korenwinder.

Current Kingsburg High School Senior, Owen Ansel, obtained the All-America status on the performance side while competing at the Western Senior Zone meet this past summer while posting his first Futures time standard. Owen was among 1,000 students who earned a spot to participate in the West Point Summer Leaders Experience last June at West Point, New York indicating his leadership and academic foundation. Owen is our current team record holder in the 100 meter breaststroke.

Entering her first year competing for the University of the Pacific, Lauren Davis is a product of Coach Caroline Reynaud while coaching the Fig Garden Dolphins Swim Team. Lauren has competed at both USA Swimming’s Summer Junior Nationals and Winter Junior Nationals since 2013, as well as Grand Prix level meets in Mesa, Arizona, and Santa Clara International. Lauren is our current team record holder in the 200 meter breaststroke event. She is a two-time recipient of the All-America recognition, and maintained a grade point average above the 4.0 mark.

Kyle Grissom is competing in his first year for USC, and is a Porterville High School graduate who is a three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All America recipient since his sophomore year. Kyle competed at multiple Junior National meets, and is a multi-finalist at that level, most recently this past summer where he earned his first Olympic Trial cut. Kyle holds the CIF D1 Valley record in the 100 yard butterfly, as well as CCS records in the event. He has been ranked top-10 in the nation multiple times across multiple age divisions.
Mallory Korenwinder is among the top graduates as she works through her senior year at Tulare Western. Already committed to compete for the University of Arizona this coming fall, Mallory has been nationally ranked (top-10) in multiple years, and in multiple age divisions. She has qualified for, and competed at multiple Nationals, both winter and summer meets, and had earned a top-8 finish at Junior Nationals before entering high school during the summer following her eight grade year. Mallory has the most experience at the national level among all our athletes, currently, or historically, and maintains a grade point average above 4.0. She has been a Scholastic All America swimmer since her sophomore year.

CIENA CLARKE SWIMS UNDEFEATED AT CLOVIS MEET

Performance No Responses »

Oct 052015

Twenty four TNT swimmers competed at the Clovis Fall Classic, one-day meet on September 26^th, and Visalia’s six-year old standout, Ciena Clarke came away undefeated, winning all three events she participate in at the meet (50 free – 46.86, 25 fly – 28.61, and 50 back – 56.66). Other event champions included Danielle Albright (200 breast, 200 fly & 400 IM), Alonso Escobedo (400 IM), and Katherine Mendyk (200 breast & 200 free). Katherine Mendyk also had our highest improvement percentage, improving three of four events when considering previously recorded times while representing our team. Hanford’s ten-year old Isabella Klawitter held the largest time drop in any one event, as she improved over 28 seconds in the 200 IM event. Congratulations to Trinity Aceves, Libby Adriaansen, Albert Alamilla, Isabel Burrough, Diego Gutierrez, Isaac Gutierrez, Xavier Gutierrez, Dylan Hunt, Nathan Hunt, Tegan Hunt, Caroline Mendyk and Katherine Mendyk for posting times for first-time events while on the team.

SIENNA ABERNATHY LEADS TNT IN TRI-MEET WIN

Performance No Responses »

Oct 052015

Tule Nation Tritons was in force during our hosted tri-meet versus runner-up teams of Conejo Simi and Roadrunner respectively over the September 19-20 weekend. Our 117 athletes combined a total point accumulation of 7,024.50 points that resulted from 42 gold medal performances, 51 silver medal performances, and 56 bronze medal performances, and was led by Selma’s eight year old Sienna Abernathy whose eight first place finishes, one second place finish, and one seventh place finish generated an astounding 189 points from individual events alone. Her point accumulation surpassed any other individual at the meet. Tule Nation Tritons had eleven swimmers score among the top 20 at the meet. A total of 109 TNT swimmers scored at the meet, this being of the 179 total, leaving only 70 scoring swimmers from the other teams. Our top 11 scoring swimmers

Fourteen year old Preston Niayesh earned a second place finish in the 13-over 100 breaststroke event, swimming a time of 1:02.81, and this time falls under the team record that was previously held by Nathan Rhea and set at Sectionals in December of 2009 as a 1:02.90. Preston set both long course 100 and 200 meter breaststroke team records earlier this summer, and now his 100 yard time stands as the fifth fastest nationally for male swimmers at age 12 here at the beginning of the reporting cycle that began September 1^st. There are currently approximately 406 times reported nationally.

ABERNATHY, ALBRIGHT, BOUDRAUX & CLARK SWIM UNDEFEATED AT HANFORD MEET

Performance No Responses »

Oct 052015

67 TNT swimmers competed at the one-day Hanford Fall Classic held on September 12^th which was the first short course meet of the new season. Thirty swimmers led the team improvement rate of nearly 70% by improving 100% of their times that had been previously recorded with the team in events 50 yards and longer. Congratulations to : Sienna Abernathy (improving 5 of 5 event), Emma Bettencourt (3 of 3), Drew Black (4 of 4), Joanna-Lee Bush (3 of 3), Rylie Conway (2 of 2), Peyton Costa (4 of 4), Kate Frost (4 of 4), Jillian Gaines (4 of 4), Kate Geiger (2 of 2), Diego Gutierez (2 of 2), Xavier Gutierrez (2 of 2), Dylan Hunt (4 of 4), Tanner Kelm (4 of 4), Isabella Klawitter (3 of 3), Rylee Lord (4 of 4), Mson Macias (1 of 1), Corinne Maxfield (3 of 3), Rylee Noronha (2 of 2), Jacquelyn Oliveira (2 of 2), Mariah Oliveira (4 of 4), Ava Olson (3 of 3), Jenna Surratt (2 of 2), and Claire Welborn (2 of 2).

Four of our swimmers were undefeated while at the meet. Selma’s eight year old Sienna Abernathy took home the gold in the 7-8 50 free (33.85), 50 breast (51.23), 100 fly (1:34.91), and 50 back (42.24), as well as the 8-under 100 IM (1:34.17). Twelve year old Danielle Albright swept the 11-12 girls 50 free (27.29), 100 fly (1:05.23), 50 back (31.94), and 100 IM (1:05.91) events, as well as the 11-over 1650 free (18:53.65). A newcomer to the block, Porterville’s six year old Nathan Boudreaux took home the gold in the 6-under 25 free (27.70), while Visalia’s six year old Cienna Clarke was uncontested in the 6-under 25 free (22.12) and 25 back (26.88) Other event champions included: Ella Bettencourt (9-10 50 back), Peyton Costa (11-12 100 fly & 100 IM), Layla Flores (11-12 50 breast), Tristan Gaines (9-over 500 free), Mackenzie Garza (13-over 50 free), Lauren Geiger (13-over 100 back & 200 IM), Diego Gutierrez (11-12 50 free & 50 breast), Preston Niayesh (13-over 100 breast, 200 fly, 100 back & 200 IM), Ava Olson (9-10 50 free, 50 breast, 100 fly & 100 IM), Megan Ridenour (13-over 100 breast), Katherine Sullivan (13-over 200 fly & 9-over 500 free), and Benjamin Wheeler (11-12 50 back).

Congratulations also to the following 20 swimmers for posting their first short course times with the team: Sydney Abernathy, Trinity Aceves, Alyssa Bodoh, Natalie Boudreaux, Nathan Boudreaux, Isabel Burrough, John Cemo, Paulina Cemo, Aidan Champagne, Duncan Champagne, Alyssa Fagundes, Logan Fagundes, Isabella Freitas, Audrey Gutierrez, Tegan Hunt Joseph Ross, Blake Sifton, Brayden Souza, Catherine Taylor and Kate Welborn. Welcome to the team.

PRESTON NIAYESH SETS CCS RECORD AT AGE GROUP ZONES

Performance No Responses »

Oct 052015

Three TNT swimmers attended the 2015 Age Group (14-under) Zone meet held in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii over the August 5-9 weekend including 14-year old Preston Niayesh who set the CCS record in the 13-14 boys 100 meter breaststroke event becoming our team’s highest finisher in an individual event. His time of 1:09.06 finished 3^rd, and broke a Central California Swimming record that was set back in 1995 by AJ Brownell as a 1:09.10. Preston’s new record currently stands as the 22^nd fastest nationally for boys at age 14. Preston went on to break our team record in the 200 meter breaststroke swimming 2:31.89 in the preliminary heats, finished 7^th place in the event, and achieved his second Sectional cut based on the past meets. The time was fast enough to be under Nathan Rhea’s team record of 2:32.13 set at the Sectional meet in 2009, and his new record stands as the 43^rd fastest national for the age. Preston also earned a second swim in the 200 meter butterfly after swimming a life-time best of 2:21.00 in the preliminary heats.

Danielle Albright was not only a repeat finalist, but earned top-16 finishes in all events that she competed in, and thereby was our team’s highest point getter from individual events. Her highest finishes came in a pair of 6^th place finishes, one in the 200 IM after swimming 2:34.48 in prelims, improving her time, and previous team record of 2:35.96 from the Clovis meet in June. Her other 6^th place finish was in the 100 meter breaststroke (1:19.90). She also had two 7^th place finishes that included the 400 IM (5:27.61), and 200 breaststroke (2:53.86) events, then went on to place 8^th in the 400 free (4:46.67), and 14^th in the 50 breast (after swimming 36.99 in the preliminary heats). Danielle also participated in the open water swim, and finished 4^th there.

Selma’s Jackson Hucabay celebrated his 13^th birthday while at the meet, and earned two top-16 finishes in the 11-12 age division, his highest being a 14^th place finish in the 200 meter freestyle after swimming a 2:17.89 in the preliminary heats. His second scoring event was from the 4:48.24 in the 400 meter freestyle resulting in a 14^th place finish there.

MISSY LESTRANGE PLACES 3rd AT NATIONALS

Performance No Responses »

Oct 052015

While our swimmers were competing at the USA Swimming Nationals in San Antonio, Texas, Missy Lestrange was among the 2,600 triathletes that competed at the 2015 Olympic Distance Age Group Triathlon Nationals over the August 8-9 weekend, placing third in her age group that consisted of 70 competitors, and only six minutes behind leader, Karen Mckeachie of Ann Arbor Michigan whose time was 2h:30m:16s. Missy’s swim time of 24:48 was the second fastest split only to Karen Mckeachie’s 24:46 when considering any of the 70 contestants in the age group. The Olympic distance is composed of a 1500 meter swim, 40 kilometer bike, and 10 kilometer run.

AJ Reid was another local, and former TNT swimmer, who competed at this year’s Nationals, and placed 21^st in his age division of 20-24 year old triathletes that totaled 110 contestants. AJ’s swim time of 19:27 was the 10^th fastest among the field, and his overall time of 2h:00m:31s was only six minutes behind Ann Arbor’s Lois Cayedito’s time of 1h:54m:35s.

Entering high school senior, Mallory Korenwinder, competed in the 100 meter breaststroke (1:13.09) at her second long course national meet in San Antonio, and joined college senior, Wesley Coles who swam the 100 meter butterfly (55.10), and college sophomore Chris Nolan who competed in the 200 meter butterfly (2:02.55) as each swam one event at the meet.

KYLE GRISSOM QUALIFIES FOR OLYMPIC TRIALS

Performance No Responses »

Oct 052015

Improving nearly a full second from his preliminary swim and entered time, Kyle Grissom wins the bonus heat with the sixth fastest time at the meet, outperforming all swimmers in both the bonus heat and the consolation heat, to achieve his first Olympic Trial time standard in the 100 meter butterfly. His time of 54.18 is the fifth fastest time in the nation for male swimmers of age 17, one spot behind Alex Valente within this current reporting cycle. He becomes the 11^th fastest 18-under qualifier for the Olympic Trials, and his time ranks approximately 47^th among the approximately 80 current Olympic Trial qualifies from across the nation. Kyle’s time is also under the previous Central California Swimming 17-18 record that was set by Matt Scanlan of Bakersfield back in 2004 who later went on to compete for Cal Berkley, making Kyle’s swim the fastest in the history of the LSC for any 17-18 year old.

Mallory Korenwinder, using Junior Nationals as her tune-up meet for Nationals, swam her highest place of 34^th in the 100 meter breaststroke with a time of 1:12.84.

Older Entries Newer Entries