Making Waves

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Courtney Chapin knew she was going faster than normal.

But it wasn’t until the Lakewood Ranch YMCA Wave Runners swimmer coasted into the wall and looked up at the board that she realized just how fast she had been going.

Chapin, a freshman at Lakewood Ranch High School, dropped nearly three seconds off her personal-best time in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing in 2 minutes, 8.31 seconds, to win both of her heats at the 2014 National YMCA Short Course Swimming Championships April 1 through April 4, in Greensboro, N.C.

“I knew I had all the right training,” Chapin says. “Everything was there. My head just had to be there, too, and it was.”

Chapin, who posted the time-qualifying standard for the meet in December, swam three events, including the 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke. Chapin also dropped nearly a second off her 100 backstroke, finishing in 58.19.

“It was an exciting atmosphere,” Chapin says. “It was a lot different than any other meet because there’s not a slow person there. Just being there and seeing swimmers who are faster than me — I was definitely taking in every moment. Next year, I’ll expect more because I’ll know what’s coming.”

Chapin was one of two Wave Runners swimmers to qualify for the meet. Braden River High sophomore Ryan Walker, who met the time standard at the Class 3A state championships in November, became the first male Wave Runners swimmer to attend Y Nationals.

“I was really excited because I had been trying to get the qualifying time for a while,” Walker says. “It was a good experience to see all of the fastest swimmers in the country and to be able to compete at that level. It was a really fun time.”

Walker swam four events, including the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 breaststroke, and set new personal-best times in the 100 butterfly (54.76) and 100 freestyle (48.76) to win his heats.

“They swim an average of 30,000 to 35,000 yards a week for what amounted to roughly 12 minutes of swimming,” coach Jeff Logsdon says. “Everything culminates to that moment.

“Once again, they have represented their team and our community with incredible swims and a true display of sportsmanship,” Logsdon says.

Additionally, a pair of younger swimmers made waves at the 2014 Florida Swimming All-Star Dual Meet April 5 and April 6, at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce.

Twelve-year-old Sebastian Aguirre and 9-year-old Summer Cardwell both swam six individual events at the meet. It was the first time the Wave Runners sent multiple swimmers to the meet, and Cardwell became the first female Wave Runners swimmer to be selected to attend the meet.

“I was really excited because I had been wanting to go there one day,” Cardwell says. “I feel special because not a lot of people get to go to an All-Star swim meet.”

Aguirre attended the dual meet last year and was eager to claim the top spot in the 100 butterfly — his signature event. Aguirre was ranked second by two-tenths of a second heading into the meet with a personal-best time of 58.77. He finished third in 59.93.

Aguirre finished second in the 50 butterfly in 27.01. He also was third in the 100 IM (1:01.48) and fourth in the 200 IM (2:14.07).

“I feel proud to be an all-star swimmer,” Aguirre says. “I like representing my team. To me, it’s an accomplishment.”

The Wave Runners will return to action in the West Florida Lightning Aquatics Spring Open May 2 through May 4, in Largo. The meet will mark the official start of the long-course season.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].