Norman wins two events at FAST-hosted meet

The Fallbrook Associated Swim Team hosted the FAST 12 and Under ABC Meet at the Fallbrook High School pool Jan. 17-19, and approximately 350 swimmers participated.

“It’s been a particularly good meet for us,” Sean Redmond, meet organizer and FAST director of coaching, said.

The meet allowed many swimmers to qualify for the Junior Olympics competition.

“It was the last chance to qualify for JOs for 12 and under,” Redmond said.

Although none of the 16 FAST swimmers qualified for the Junior Olympics, 10 FAST members had times among the top eight in at least one event and 8-year-old Cora Norman won two girls 8-and-under events.

“For a number of them it was their first time swimming that event,” Redmond said. “They rose to the challenge and pushed themselves to try something new.”

Even the FAST swimmers who did not have a top-eight finish set personal records.

“A lot of best times, so there’s a lot of improvement that’s been happening. It shows the work they’re putting in,” Redmond said.

Norman competed in three events. She won the 50-yard backstroke in 47.85 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 1:33.04.

“That was exciting for her,” Redmond said.

In her other race, Norman placed seventh in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:06.02. Norman, who is a military dependent, has been in FAST for just over a year.

Eight-year-old Mateya Mogilski placed in three girls 8-and-under events. She was second in the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 50:03 seconds, sixth in the 100-yard freestyle at 1:31.86, and seventh in the 50-yard freestyle which took her 43.16 seconds.

The girls 8-and-under races also included 8-year-old Emma Sue Martinez placing fourth in the 100-yard individual medley at 2:10.14 and seventh in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 1:02.75.

Emory Vorndam turned 11 years old in December and moved up to the boys 11-12 competition. He placed in nine events including two second-place finishes and three third-place times. Vorndam was second in the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:31.99, finished the 50-yard breaststroke in 42.73 seconds for second place, had the third-place time of 6:55.25 in the 500-yard freestyle, placed third in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 34.37 seconds, took third place in the 100-yard butterfly with a 1:27.21 performance, became the fifth 50-yard freestyle finisher 30.48 seconds after the race began, was fifth in the 50-yard backstroke which took him 34.80 seconds, had a 2:38.82 performance in the 200-yard freestyle for fifth place and completed the 100-yard freestyle in 1:10.95 for seventh place.

Ellajean Martinez is 10 years old and was in the girls 10-and-under competition. She was third in the 50-yard freestyle with a 36.26-second performance, fourth in the 100-yard individual medley which took her 1:36.58, fourth in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 47.82 seconds, seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke in which she touched the final wall 1:52.36 after the start of the race and eighth in the 200-yard freestyle in which she posted a time of 3:16.60.

Sabina Schelhorn had two seventh-place finishes in girls 10-and-under events. The 10-year-old had times of 38.13 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle and 1:23.97 in the 100-yard freestyle.

Nine-year-old Blake Pecoraro placed in one boys’ 10-and-under event. His 100-yard butterfly time of 2:59.30 was worth third place.

The boys 10-and-under swimmers also included 9-year-old Logan McKay, who was fifth in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:14.99 and sixth in the 100-yard backstroke after finishing in 1:43.35.

In his first meet ever 7-year-old Grayson Fuller completed the 50-yard freestyle in 59.64 seconds, which gave him sixth place in the boys 8-and-under division.

Eleven-year-old Jordyn Jones swam in the girls 11-12 division. Her time of 7:30.21 in the 500-yard freestyle placed eighth.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].