Regal performance: Lady Vikings’ King wins WPIAL gold in record time
PITTSBURGH – Lily King seems to have a dynamic performance every time she dives into the pool at the WPIAL Class AA Swimming Championships.
The junior just keeps raising her high standard with every swim, breaking her own mark in the 200 freestyle and anchoring the 200 medley relay to gold on the first day of the district meet at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool.
King defended her WPIAL gold medal in the 200 freestyle in a record-breaking time of 1:46.01. She set the district mark last year with her winning time of 1:47.36.
“I was very happy with (her performance),” said King. “I had enough time to cool down, get some water in my system and rest a little bit (after the opening relay) before I had to go back in the pool.
“I did feel very good. My coach and I were hoping coming into this meet I was at faster places than I was at certain places I was last year. We were hopeful it turned out as it did. I was very happy with it.”
King added, “Honestly, every time I swim I try to go in with the mindset I am going to make this swim better than last time.
King anchored the Lady Vikings’ 200 medley relay, finishing what Kiersten O’Connor, Kaylie Korpiel and Maddie Barrick started for the gold medal in 1:47.23. The time was over a second faster than their qualifying mark.
“I was confident in our relay where I could bring it back,” said King. “Everybody had their best splits.”
Barrick swam the butterfly leg. She also finished 24th in the 50 freestyle and 26th in the 100 butterfly.
“Oh yes, I was really nervous because I knew we had a really good chance today and I wanted to perform my best. I think we did a really good job today,” said Barrick.
Mount Pleasant was trailing when King dove into the pool. She made up the ground and thensome.
“We knew (King) could swim really fast and catch us up. That was really insane,” said Barrick, adding, “I think we were all a little bit nervous, but it was a good nervous.”
O’Connor gave the Lady Vikings a third gold medal with another after she successfully defended her 50 freestyle title in 23.61 seconds.
“There’s definitely more pressure (defending her title), but I just go into the race not worried about what the outcome is and just try my best. And, overall, just try to better my time,” said O’Connor. “And, keep in the back of my mind, I’m trying to defend my title.
As for her second gold medal in a row, O’Connor added, “It’s unreal. This is so rewarding after a tough season of training and meets. I’m so lucky to be here and be with my team.”
O’Connor said the opening relay was able to get her going.
“Winning the first relay was momentum to try to keep it going through the rest of the championship,” explained O’Connor.
The Lady Vikings, the defending team champions, sat in second place after the first day with 120 points. Quaker Valley was first with 149 points.
Belle Vernon’s Martyna Maley, Ava Bosetti, Megan Shusteric and Melina Stratigos finished seventh in the 200 medley relay in 1:54.67, nearly three seconds faster than its seed time.
Shusteric made the medals podium after she finished eighth in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:58.50. She was 11th in the 100 butterfly.
Grace Newbould finished 26th in the 200 freestyle. Bosetti was 15th in the 200 IM. Stratigos placed 22nd in the 50 freestyle. Maley was 22nd in the 100 butterfly.
Elizabeth Forward finished 15th in the 200 medley relay (2:00.42). The Lady Warriors’ Sydney Boyd was 11th in the 200 IM and Brooke Yurkovich was 12th in the 100 butterfly.
Ringgold’s Natalie Noll found the podium after she finished seventh in the 100 butterfly in 59.51 seconds.
Ringgold was 11th in the 200 freestyle relay and 20th in the 200 medley relay. The Lady Rams’ Emily Carpeal was 24th in the 200 IM.
Connellsville’s 200 freestyle relay improved its qualifying time by a second with its 15th place finish in 1:48.01. The Lady Falcons placed 21st in the 200 medley relay (2:08.03). Kassidy Callahan was 21st in the 100 butterfly.
Laurel Highlands sophomore Addie Ciez was 11th in the 200 freestyle with a personal-best time of 2:01.12.
Uniontown’s Joss Rutter finished 28th in the 200 IM. Teammate Hannah Foster placed 17th in the 50 freestyle.