Colorado High School Girls 5A State Championships
- February 7-9, 2024
- Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center
- SCY (25 yards)
- Live results
Team Scores:
- Cherry Creek 379
- Regis Jesuit 359
- Heritage 255
- Fairview 245.5
- Fossil Ridge 229.5
The Cherry Creek High School girls captured their 4th straight 5A Colorado Girls High School State Title. The winning times below are not adjusted for altitude but the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center is located in Thornton, Colorado, which sits about 5,350 feet above sea level.
Senior Charlotte Wilson led the way for the team. Wilson won the 200 IM in a 2:00.13 (altitude adjusted to 1:58.93), winning by almost three seconds. That was just off her best time of a 1:59.56 that she swam at 2022 Winter Juniors. Wilson also earned a win in the 100 back swimming a 52.90, winning by over a second and a half. Wilson is committed to Virginia for this fall.
Wilson also helped the team win both the 200 medley and 400 free relays. The 200 medley consisted of Wilson, Sydney Fernstrom, Jenna Fernstrom, and Ana Loveridge. They swam to a final time of a 1:41.23. The team led from the start as Wilson had the fastest backstroke split in the field by over a second with a 24.84. The win was key as Regis Jesuit finished second in a 1:42.81.
The team’s 400 free relay consisted of Wilson, Jenna Fernstrom, Madison Williams, and Alana Maxey. They touched in a 3:24.99 winning by four seconds. Wilson led off in a personal best 50.28. Jenna Fernstrom had a key split with a 49.53.
Cherry Creek swept the relays with their win in the 200 free relay. Ava Ross, Loveridge, Sydney Fernstrom, and Maxey combined for a final time of a 1:34.66. Loveridge split a 22.73 on the second leg.
Ohio State commit Mila Nikanorov won the girls 500 free in a 4:42.49, a time that altitude adjusts to a 4:37.49. Mikanorov’s previous best (adjusted for altitude as well) was a 4:38.96 which she swam in December 2023. She has had huge drops in the race over the last year as her season best from a year ago was a 4:47.51. Nikanorov’s altitude-adjusted time from today would currently be the #1 time in the Big Ten this season and sit at #7 in the NCAA this season, so Nikanorov’s arrival is a big pick up for the Buckeyes.
Fossil Ridge sophomore Ella Gaca Thiele won two events at the meet. Thiele swept the sprint free events touching in a 22.98 in the 50 free and a 50.02 in the 100. Both were personal best times. Her 50 free time was her first time under the 23-second mark.
Finishing just behind Thiele in the 50 free was Regis Jesuit’s Charlotte Burnham who touched in a 23.04. Burnham picked up her own win as she won the 100 bresat in a 1:01.91. Burnham will head west to Cal this fall.
Other Event Winners:
- 200 free: Marissa Inouye (Mountain Range) 1:49.16 (altitude adjusted to 1:47.96)
- 100 fly: Isabella Forsman (Legacy) 54.81
worth mentioning she missed Franklin’s state record by less than a second
My opinion is that altitude adjustment is much more accurate for those going up in altitude. Swimmers who go through puberty at attitude generally get over adjusted with the adjustments.