Hargrave Military Academy Cadet swimmers Benjamin Quay and Tony Romanini recently placed in the top ten for their age group in their respective events. Both swimmers are members of USA Swimming, the national governing body for swimming in the United States, and participated in a USA Swimming meet where they earned this honor. Both athletes swim on Hargrave’s USA Swimming team and varsity swimming team.
Both swimmers earned their ranking during the 2009 North Carolina Raleigh Swimming Association’s January Jubilee Meet, hosted from January 16-19, 2009 at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary. Ranking was determined by USA Swimming’s online SWIMS database system. The results of all swimming meets supported by USA Swimming are collected into SWIMS and an athlete’s national Individual Event Rank can be determined.
Cadet Quay, age 16, placed 7th in the 15-16 age group and 12 nationally for his 28.52 effort in the 50y Breaststroke. He is the son of Michael and Margaret Quay of Waterford, New York.
Cadet Romanini, age 17, did equally well as his placed 5th in 50y Backstroke for the 17-18 age group and 15thnationally, with a time of 24.81. He is the son of Earnest and Susan Romanini of Port Matilda, Pennsylvania. He is a junior in his first year at Hargrave.
Coach Larry Simonov is very proud of both athletes. Coach Simonov has coached many Olympic medalists, world record holders and US National record holders throughout his career. He counts his accomplishments as 16 Olympic medalists and 38 world championship medalists. He is also a former deck coach for Raleigh Swimming Association, a USA Swimming Gold Medal program, serving from September 2002 to July 2006. Simonov is in his second year with Hargrave.
Of Cadet Romanini, Coach Simonov mentioned, He swam with other swimmers at Hargrave Military Academy who have also pushed him to his heights of success.
In the past four months, Hargrave swimmers have broken over ten school records and recently swept their high school conference championship. The team heads for their state meet on February 13, 2009.
