Marlins Shine at AT&T National Championships

Six Marlin athletes traveled to Federal Way Washington last weekend for the AT&T USA Swimming National Championships. All six were National Champ rookies, but handled the new level extremely well and looked very comfortable swimming with some of the world’s best swimmers.  All told, the Marlin National team broke 6 team records, 1 Sierra Nevada record and swam 9 best times.

Ryan Pickett had a spectacular meet swimming a perfect 5 for 5 best times including team records in the 100 back (50.65) and 200 back (1:49.78). Ryan Studebaker had a great 200 breast dropping 2 seconds and set a new Sierra Nevada and team record (2:02.22). Sophie Weber burst on to the National scene in style with a team record in the 200 IM (2:06.80) and best times in the 100 fly (56.33) and 200 back time trial (2:04.34). Alex Whitford had a solid meet with a new team record in the 50 free (23.40) and tieing her best time in the 100 fly (55.90). Dallin Johnson started a little rough, but didn’t give in and ended the meet with a best time in the 1650 by 21 seconds (15:51.45)! Josh Choi broke the 17-18 team record in the 400 IM (4:03.74).

The guys (Pickett, Choi, Johnson and Studebaker) also swam all three relays and performed great in each. The highlight was their 15^th place finish in the 800 free relay which is the highest place a Marlin men’s  relay has placed at the Nationals. They also finished 23^rd in the 400 medley and 27^th in the 400 free relay.

Also of note, Haley Anderson now representing the University of Southern California won her first national title in the 1650 out of lane 8! She also finished 4^th in the 500 free.