USA Swimming vs. Region Championships (A/BB)

The 2006 Blue Ridge Regional Championship proved to be the right place, the right time and the right opportunity for several members of Hargrave Aquatics, Chatham’s local club swimming team. The meet ran February 24-26, 2006, at the Jamerson YMCA facility in Lynchburg, Virginia. Ten members of the team represented the club at the meet.

“Every team member that participated captured at least one new best time,” said Coach William Wiebking. “The kids really showed their teeth in each race, but remained excellent sportsmen both before and after each swim. It is always exciting when the team performs this well in a meet of this caliber.”

Altavista swimmer David West, age 11, had several stunning performances in the Boy’s 11-12 age group. West, who was injured for two months at the start of the season, made up for lost time by winning four individual events at the Blue Ridge Championship. He won both the 50y and 100y Freestyle events with a 28.05 and 1:00.56 respectively. He also claimed the 200y Backstroke with a 2:27.34, a 9.25 second best time improvement. And in a stunning display of determination, he won the 200y Breaststroke in a time 2:56.15. Breaststroke is West’s weakest stroke.

West also placed top eight in several other events. He was second in the 100y Breaststroke, 1:23.89, third in the 100y Backstroke, 1:10.74, and fifth in both the 50y Breaststroke, 38.92, and 100y IM, 1:12.31.

Gretna swimmer Chelsea Law, age 13, had several great races verses some very tough opponents in the Girl’s 13-14 age group. She managed one breathtaking victory in the 100y Freestyle with a 58.24, a new best time. She also took second in a very close finish in the 200y Breaststroke, 2:42.78. “Like her 100y Freestyle, her 200y Breaststroke was an exceptionally fun and exciting race to watch,” said Coach Wiebking.

Law also captured three third place finishes in the 100y Breaststroke, 1:16.16, 200y IM, 2:24.52, and the 400y IM, 5:04.44. She took forth in the 50y Freestyle, 27.07, and fifth in the 200y Freestyle, 2:08.13.

Several athletes qualified first time or additional events for the spring Virginia Age Group Championships to be held at Radford University, March 16-19, 2006. This was an important goal for many Hargrave Aquatics athletes at the Blue Ridge Championships.

West qualified in the 50y Freestyle, 100y Freestyle, 100y Backstroke and 200y Backstroke. Law qualified the 100y Breaststroke and 200y Breaststroke. Gretna swimmer Jason Reese, age 12, picked up the 200y Backstroke. Danville swimmer Ali Stephens-Pickeral qualified two events in the 100y Breaststroke and 200y Breaststroke.

The spring Age Group meet will be the first time attending for Law and Stephens-Pickeral.

Other top eight swims include:

Katie Doughterty, age 13, of Brosville: 7th – 1,000y Freestyle, 13:14.27.
Jennifer Murphy, age 13, of Altavista: 4th – 100y Freestyle, 1:00.19; 7th – 200y IM, 2:28.41.
Sami Norman, age 12, of Martinsville: 5th – 200y Backstroke, 2:34.28; 8th 100y IM, 1:11.81.
Jason Reese, age 12, of Gretna: 5th – 200y Backstroke, 2:32.18; 5th – 200y IM, 2:36.76; 6th – 200y Butterfly, 2:57.37; 8th – 50y Butterfly, 33.02.
Ali Stephens-Pickeral, age 11, of Danville: 2nd – 200y Breaststroke, 2:51.05; 4th 100y Breaststroke, 1:19.78.

Also competing in the meet was Danville swimmer David Collins, age 12, Martinsville swimmer Hannah Patterson, age 11, and Chatham swimmer Katherine Wall, age 9. “These three swimmers got their first taste of the next level,” said Coach Wiebking. “I expect good things from them in the next year.”

“I want to congratulate all the athletes that competed in this meet,” said Coach Wiebking. “They did a fantastic job.”

Hargrave Military Academy logo.