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Fast, Fast and Faster
Eastern Zones: Pelton breaks National AG Record
Pan Am Games: Michaelson takes Gold
Championship swim season always proves to be an exciting time of the year and this year was no exception. Over the past few weeks, elite meets took place in which Connecticut Swimming’s top athletes were given the opportunity to showcase their talents. From the Dominican Republic to Pittsburgh, PA, Connecticut athletes were swimming fast, fast, and faster.
Connecticut's age group swimmers boarded the buses and made the long trek to Pittsburgh, PA for the Eastern Zone All-Star meet. Over ninety Connecticut swimmers attended and just over 20 qualified for finals (Top 8). Greg Pelton's (WYW) outstanding 50M freestyle swim (25.51) broke the National Age Group Record, making Greg the fastest 11/12 boy ever to swim the 50M free in USA Swimming's history. Greg also broke three Eastern Zone records and five Connecticut Resident records. Congratulations, Greg!! Also re-writing the record book was Marc Fink (WYW), breaking the CT Resident 200M breast record. Connecticut's LC Zone Team finished eighth over-all. Congratulations to the entire zone team and a hearty thanks to the coaches, chaperones and coordinators Lisa Earley and Diane Thomas.
While the age group swimmers were heading west, CSI's fastest senior swimmers were heading to Maryland for the Conoco Phillips National Championships and to the Dominican Republic for the Pan Am Games. Ben Michaelson (SNCO) joined 47 other Americans that had been selected to represent the USA at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo August 8-17, 2003. Michaelson stood on the podium not once, but twice, taking gold in the100M fly and as a member of the 400M Medley Relay. A little closer to home, competing in the Conoco Phillips National Championships were Ryan Cassella (SNCO), Kristen Frost (SNCO), Steve Marcucio (OMNI), Geoff Rathgeber (SNCO) and Tammie Repass (SNCO). Frost swam an 800M freestyle time trial breaking the 400M free (split) CT Resident record for 15/16 girls. Cassella and Rathgeber both swam finals and Rathgeber's 200M IM broke the CT Resident record for 17/18 men, was an Olympic Trials qualifying time and earned him a berth on USA Swimming's National B team. Congratulations senior athletes!
In July, both Eastern Zone Speedo Champions Series meets were open to Connecticut swimmers. At the sectional meet held in Baltimore, MD, Kristen Frost (SNCO) came away with multiple final swims and a qualifying time for nationals in the 200M freestyle. She then finished off the meet with the women's High Point award. Tammie Repass (SNCO), Geoff Rathgeber (SNCO) and Ben Michaelson (SNCO) also swam national qualifying times. The sectional meet in Buffalo also had fast swims, highlighted by Steve Marcucio (OMNI) and Daniel Madwed (SHKS). Marcucio swam a national qualifying time in the men's 100M breast and Madwed had multiple record-setting swims: 13/14 Boys Resident 200M freestyle; 1500M freestyle; 100M butterfly and 200M butterfly.
FINALISTS for All Meets
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FINALISTS (In no particular order.)
Baltimore Speedo Champions Series
A Finalists:
Kristen Frost (SNCO)
Tammie Repass (SNCO)
Cammie Villarreal (NCY)
Meghan Faughan (NCY)
Whitney McLellan (SNCO)
Charysse Johnston (SNCO)
Ashley Johnston (SNCO)
Ben Michaelson (SNCO)
Geoff Rathgeber (SNCO)
Dan Garaffa (SNCO)
Ryan Cassella (SNCO)
Zac Czaplicki (HMST)
B Finalists:
Melissa Leach (SNCO)
Kathrine Fugge (CAC)
Cammie Villarreal (NCY)
Kristen Skroski (SNCO)
Ashley Johnston (SNCO)
Whitney McLellan (SNCO)
Michelle Ducharme (SNCO)
Meghan Faughnan (NCY)
Stacey Mehringer (SNCO)
Charysse Johnston (SNCO)
Brett Jones (SNCO)
Zac Czaplicki (HMST)
Steven Heyer (SNCO)
Geoff Rathgeber (SNCO)
Tom Mazzaferro (SNCO)
Jason Oberman (SNCO)
Dan Garaffa (SNCO)
Greg Neville (SNCO)
Alex Ware (SNCO)
C Finalists:
Jennifer Liu (SNCO)
Nicole Sparks (NCY)
Kathrine Fugge (CAC)
Michelle Ducharme (SNCO)
Kristen Skroski (SNCO)
Anna Flores (CAC)
Danielle Honrath (SNCO)
Eileen Dowd (SNCO)
Eryn Crane (SNCO)
Ashley Johnston (SNCO)
Greg Neville (SNCO)
Alex Ware (SNCO)
Zac Czaplicki (HMST)
Steven Heyer (SNCO)
Tom Mazzaferro (SNCO)
Brett Jones (SNCO)
Adam Motowidlo (SNCO)
Jason Oberman (SNCO)
Buffalo Speedo Champions Series
A Finalists:
Madison Kennedy (OAK)
Ashley Ukleja (AJSC)
Kevin Norman (OMNI)
Steven Marcucio (OMNI)
Daniel Madwed (SHKS)
B Finalists:
Theresa Altieri (OMNI)
Daniel Madwed (SHKS)
Kevin Norman (OMNI)
Louis Krasenics (ARAC)
C Finalists:
Madison Kennedy (OAK)
Theresa Altieri (OMNI)
Ashley Ukleja (AJSC)
Alex Ukleja (AJSC)
Kevin Norman (OMNI)
Frisk Driscoll (WRAT)
Daniel Madwed (SHKS)
Vincent Nardone (OAK)
Zone Finalists:
Greg Pelton
Elizabeth Pelton
Kim Jerome
Robby Harder
Jared Heyde
Alex Pascal
Melanie Pascal
Katie Gardocki
Amanda Thomas
Patty Sullivan
Addison Koelle
Dana Gnerre
Marc Fink
Chris Wiederecht
Kelby Zimmerman
Ben Levine
Derrian Duryea
Brendan Deveney
Meggie McGorry
Melissa White
Lauren Bedard
Sandy Bujalski
Caroline McCabe
National Finalists:
Geoff Rathgeber (SNCO)
Ryan Cassella (SNCO)