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South Valley Riverton Journal

Swimmers Have Success at State Long Course Championship

Aug 10, 2015 11:23AM ● By Bryan Scott

Swimmers

By Greg James

South Valley - S\wimmers from across the Salt Lake Valley had success at the Utah State Long Course Swimming Championships July 20-23. The swimmers competed in 207 events at the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center.

The long course championship is a competition for swim clubs from across the state. The competitors compete in age groups beginning at 10 and under. 

Wasatch Front Fish Market, a local club, placed first at the championship. They outscored the nearest team (Utah Valley Aquatics) by 487 points.  WFFM is a Salt Lake Valley-based club that practices at three pools: Fairmont Aquatic Center, Cottonwood High School and Treehouse Athletic Club in Draper. It is the largest club in the state of Utah with approximately 225 members.

“We represent 10 different high schools. We have become a destination club because we practice at three different locations. We have kids from Orem, Copper Hills, Herriman and Bountiful that work out with us. Swimming is growing here in Utah. It is exciting to see the kids find success,” WFFM director Ruth Swallow said.

Swim clubs offer year-round professional coaching and technique instruction for swimmers of all ages and abilities. Clubs are not affiliated with local high schools. The team members can try out and compete with whichever club they feel comfortable with.

WFFM team member Brendan Nguyen, a Cottonwood High graduate, placed first in the 200-meter freestyle. Abbey Sorenson, a Riverton High graduate, won the 50 and 100 free, finished second in the 100 backstroke and placed seventh in the 200. Herriman sophomore and reigning 5A Swimmer of the Year Rhyan White won the 100 and 200 backstrokes.

Lillian Moore, a Skyline High School graduate and former 4A swim champion, placed first overall in the senior girls division. She scored 97.5 points. Sorenson was fourth overall with 86 points and White eighth, with 66. Moore and White finished first and second in the 100 butterfly with only .65 seconds separating them.

In the 11-12-year-old girls division, Fish Market’s Kennedy Callaway placed first overall. In the boys division Joshua Cho and Martin Anders placed first and second. Jarod Arroyo won the boys 13-14-year-old age group.

The Devil Rays Aquatic Team placed eighth overall, Olympus Aquatics ninth, Kearns Youth Aquatic Team 13th, Eagle Aquatic 17th and West Valley Aquatics 20th. The championships included 35 teams from across the state.

In the 10 and under girls division, Devil Rays team member Callie Anderson placed third overall. 

The Devil Rays are based out of J.L. Sorenson Recreation Center in Herriman and Dimple Dell Recreation Center in Sandy.

“Some of our local club swimmers have gone to the Olympic trials and national meets. There are plenty of college scholarships available for these kids to earn. Swimming is a great opportunity for them,” Devil Rays Aquatic board member Allen Anderson said.

Olympus Aquatics 10 and under member Will Jones placed fifth overall in his age division. Deni Cullom placed first overall in the senior boys division. Olympus practices at Olympus High School.

Cottonwood Heights Aquatics Rachel Butler placed first in the girls 13-14 age division.

Utah swim teams participate under the USA Swimming governing body. Qualifying local swimmers will be eligible to compete at the long course nationals in San Antonio, Texas Aug. 6-10.