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With the arrival of July, the Newport Swim Team attended their final meet before the course State Championships. Seven NST members participated in the TEAM Eugene Invitational June 28-30 at the 50-meter outdoor Amazon pool in Eugene. A total of 12 swim teams from Oregon and Idaho competed. Team Eugene dominated the combined team score, while NST took 8th place. For athletes ages 11 and older, this meet followed a prelim (AM) and finals (PM) format, testing their training and racing abilities. Here are the individual performances:
Layla Bretz, 18 – competed in her last swim meet with NST. Participated in 6 events, securing a 2nd place and three 4th place finishes in the 15 & over girls division. Bretz holds 15 individual team records from 9-10 to Senior level in Free, Back, and Butterfly. In addition, Bretz is a member of 21 relay team records from the same age groups. She is a member of 2 NHS school record relay teams and 2 Oregon State High School 4A Swimming Championship teams.
Pia Lihou, 18 – Also a member of those 2 NHS State Championships, competed in 6 events, recording 2 PRs in the 15 & Over girls division. Her best placings included 5th in the 400 IM and two 6th places in the 100 back and 200 IM. Pia owns an NST team record in the 9-10 girls 200 Butterfly and is part of 12 relay team records from 9-10 to Senior age groups.
Miriam Kimberly, 14 – competed in her first long course meet in Eugene; she swam six races and recorded six personal best times. She took 6th in the 50 butterfly and 9th in the 50 Backstroke in the 13-14 girls division.
Helen Faber, 8 – had an outstanding first long course meet, competing in 4 races with four personal best times to go along with a qualifying time in the 50 free for the Oregon 10 & Under LC State Champs in July. She also recorded a B time in the 50 Back.
In the 8 & Under girls division, Helen took 2nd in the 100 free and posted two 3rd place finishes in the 50 free and 50 Back.
Ivan Farias, 17 – a member of the NHS boys 4A swim champs, took part in 7 races and posted 4 PRs. Ivan recorded a 4th in the 200 Breaststroke and a 6th in the 50 Breast.
Ben Hurty, 17 – also a member of the NHS 4A state swim championship team (and an individual high school state champ), had a hectic weekend preparing for several club championship meets in July. Ben participated in 7 events and made finals in all seven while recording 4 PRs. He took 2nd in the 50 Back, 3rd in the 100 Free, and 4th in the 200 IM.
Zoey Chappell, 11 – had a meet to remember. Having just aged 10 to 11, her first Prelim/ Finals meet was a long course held outdoors, competing against 12 12-year-olds. Zoey handled it like a pro! 9 prelim swims into 9 Final swims. She was 2nd in the 200 Back and 5th in the 200 Free and 100 Back, but also the highest placed 11-year-old in most races. Eighteen total swims and 9 PRs. She recorded an A qualifying time for state champs in the 100 Free, 200 IM, and 200 Free. To put a cheery on top, she set a new NST team record in the 11-12 girls division in the 200 Backstroke.
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