OXFORD — Clinton-Massie’s Gracie Storm had two record-setting swims Friday and appears set to make her fourth straight appearance in the state swim meet.
Meanwhile the season has come to an end for the four Wilmington High School girls swimmers who competed Friday at the Div. II Girls Southwest Ohio District Swimming Championship meet at Miami University’s Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center.
Storm finished strong in the second half of the 500-yard freestyle and placed eighth overall with a new school record time of 5:11.48.
She then came back with a school record 58.29 second swim in the 100-yard backstroke, good enough for 10th place overall.
“That was pretty much her goal all year,” CM coach Kacie Jenkins said. “She tapers well and she has such a good attitude.”
Jenkins was confident the times in both events would be good enough to earn a trip to the state.
The top two swimmers in each event at the district meet are automatic state qualifiers. The next 16 times at district meets statewide receive at-large berths to Canton.
The official listing of state qualifiers is expected to be posted on the Ohio High School Athletic Association website by Noon Sunday but with the strength of the Southwest District, Storm’s ticket to Canton appears to have been punched.
“Hopefully next week, I can final in both (events),” Storm said.
The Wilmington 200-yard medley relay team hit the pool first and clocked in at 2:04.7, fourth in the first heat of the meet. Brianna Gilbert (backstroke), Ali Dooley (breaststroke), Morgan Bahr (butterfly) and Abby Greene (freestyle) lowered their time from last week’s sectional meet by nearly two seconds.
In the 200-yard individual medley, Dooley finished fifth in her heat in 2:26.82. Later in the meet, Dooley clocked in at 1:13.51, a personal best, in the 100-yard breaststroke.
The Gilbert-Greene-Dooley-Bahr quartet went 4:09.26 in the 400-yard freestyle relay to better their seed time by two seconds.
WHS head coach Mitch Hopf said, “It’s an accomplishment to be here.”
He then noted the two seniors – Dooley and Gilbert – who have continued a strong legacy of leadership with the girls program.
“They had exception role models before them – Alyssa Lewis, Jordie Quallen, Maddie Schaeffer – to look up to,” Hopf said. “And they’ve shown great leadership in the pool for our younger swimmers. They’ve worked hard in the pool and set a good example for our younger swimmers.”
In the 500 free, Gracie stormed off the block and went the first 100 in 59.97 seconds.
“That’s her fastest ever,” Jenkins said.
She finished with a 1:01.84 final 100 to close out a record performance. Then, in the 100 backstroke, she continued her strong day.
“I think both (races) were pretty good,” Storm said. “I’m tired … .”
