WRAT National Team Shines at YMCA Short Course Nationals

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Members of the Westport Weston Family YMCA Water Rat Swim Team attended the 2016 YMCA Short Course National Swimming and Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatics Center in Greensboro, North Carolina from April 4-April 8, 2016. The Senior swimmers were accompanied by Head Coach Ellen Johnston and Assistant Coaches Frisk Driscoll and Kristen Finnegan.

Twelve Water Rat swimmers qualified this year for this prestigious meet, including John Whiteside, Jack Gray, Dashiell Hunter, Nicolas Ortega, Sean Paul Stolarski, Simona Visinski, Sarah Grinalds, Elizabeth Sargent, Aileen Coyne, Kay Begg, Willow Woods, and Katie Thornton.

All our qualifiers had an outstanding meet and in the process broke several team records as well as a CT Resident Relay Record. Sarah Grinalds broke her own 50 yard free record in a time of 22.96 and 100 yard free record in a time of 50.42. John Whiteside broke the team records in the 50 yard free in a time of 20.66, the 100 yard free in a time of 44.17 and the 100 yard back in a time of 49.09. John came in first when he made the 100 yard free team record.

In addition to individual records, the Girls 200 Free Relay team of Sarah Grinalds, Simona Visinski, Katie Thornton and Willow Woods made a new CT Resident Relay Record for 15-16 Girls in a time of 1:34.76. The girls placed 12th with that time.

Swimmers and relay teams who placed in the top sixteen at the meet included –

1. John Whiteside – 1st in 100 yard Free; 4th in the 200 yard Back; 7th in the 100 yard Back; and 13 in the 200 yard Free
2. Sarah Grinalds – 4th in the 50 yard Free; 9th in the 100 yard Free; and 9th in the 500 yard Free
3. Dashiell Hunter – 13th in the 200 Breast
4. Nico Ortega – 10th in the 1650 yard Free and 16th in the 500 yard Free
5. John Whiteside, Sean Paul Stolarski, Nico Ortega, and Jack Gray – 13th in the 800 Free Relay
6. John Whiteside, Dashiell Hunter, Jack Gray, and Sean Paul Stolarski – 13th in the 400 yard Medley Relay
7. Sarah Grinalds, Simona Visinski, Katie Thornton and Willow Woods – 12th Place 200 Free Relay

Congratulations to the National Team for a job well done!

Go WRATS!