Following Jasmine Tosky’s National HS Record in the 100 fly yesterday at the California Central Coast Sectionals, the Norther Coast Sectional meet got in on the fun today with two National Records.
The first came from the Carondelet High School quartet of Madison White, Allison Gargalikis, Christina Ray, and Chelsea Chenault in the women’s 200 medley relay with a time of 1:40.73. That time broke the National overall (and Independent school) record that the same 4 swimmers set last season at 1:40.80. With 4 underclassmen on the relay when they broke the mark in 2010, it was pretty-well expected that the group would break the mark again.
Three out of the four swimmers are current or former Junior National Teamers, and two (White and Chenault) are current senior National Team members.
Here are the splits:
White (25.68); Gargalikis (27.52); Ray (24.59); Chenault (22.94)
Even more exciting, only breaststroker Allison Gargalikis is graduating this year, meaning that Carondelet has a chance at breaking the record for a 3rd consecutive year in 2012. Gargalikis was the state champion in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.12), and it appears as though junior Madeleine Benevides is the heir apparent to take that relay spot — she placed 9th in the 100 at 1:05.85. Gargalikis has committed on a full scholarship to swim at UCLA in the fall.
In other action at the North Coast Sectionals meet, Amador Valley High School’s Catherine Breed (a Cal commit) swam a great 200 free i in 1:44.61 for the win. But it was the runner-up Chenault who took 2nd in 1:45.12 that broke the National Independent School record. That bests the mark of 1:45.49 by 4-time World Champion Kate Ziegler at Bishop O’Connell High School (in Arlington, VA) in 2006. Carondelet’s Chenault also surpassed the old mark with her 2nd-place finish of 1:45.12.
Breed’s time is still well far away of Dagny Knutson’s overall HS mark set in 2008 at 1:42.81, which is a mark that is likely to stand for a while. The swimmer with the best chance at taking that time down is Missy Franklin, who’s been a 1:43. (Note: Franklin swims for Regis Jesuit High School, an Independent High School, and would likely break Chenault’s Independent School mark if she chose to swim the 200 free at a rested high school meet next season).
(note: the original results, linked below, incorrectly list Breed’s swim as an Independent School Record. Thanks to one of our readers for pointing out that Amador Valley is actually a public high school, and thus Chenault takes the record, not Breed. )