Kaitlynn Sims Throws Down 4:39 500 Free at Texas Girls 5A State Championships

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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The 2019 Texas 5A Girls’ State Swimming and Diving Championships took place on Saturday, Feb. 16 at the Lee and Joe Jamail Natatorium on the campus of University of Texas – Austin.

Montgomery’s Kaitlynn Sims highlighted the meet by breaking the 5A and Texas overall state record in the 500 free. Pflugerville Weiss’ Ana Herceg broke the 5A mark in the 50 free, while Denison’s Lindsay Looney did the same in both the 100 fly and 200 IM. Montgomery secured the team title with a final score of 186 points.

Click here for full results.

Top 5 Team Scores:

1. Montgomery – 186
2. Magnolia – 159
3. Friendswood – 150
4. Austin Johnson – 149
5. Frisco Reedy – 131

The meet began as Montgomery’s Valerie Brilanti (28.07), Sims (29.15), Kelli Curington (27.14) and JoJo Daspit (23.03) combined to win the opening 4×50 medley relay in 1:47.39. SA Alamo Heights finished second in 1:48.16 and CC Flour Bluff took a close third in 1:48.26.

Herceg had a record-setting performance in the 200 free: her final time of 1:46.39 eclipsed Gabrielle Kopenski’s 2015 5A mark of 1:46.80. Sims was also well-under the 1:50 barrier in 1:47.10 for second while Frisco’s Lindsey Ryalls raced to third in 1:51.28.

Looney – who will attend Arizona State this fall – lit the pool on fire in the 200 IM, winning by three seconds as the only swimmer in the field to break two minutes. Her time broke Madisyn Cox’s 5A record of 1:59.42 set in 2013. Frisco Reedy’s Abby Koczo took second in 2:02.57 while Lucas Lovejoy’s Eason Jones finished third in 2:05.10.

Frisco Reedy’s Amelia Liu, who has committed to Princeton, splashed-and-dashed her way to a win in the 50 free, stopping the clock in 23.00. It was a tight battle for second; Austin Johnson’s Ava Longi was the runner-up in 23.38 while Frisco Independence’s Sienna Schellenger took third in 23.42.

Lubbock’s Payton Props dove to first on the 1-meter board after posting a final score of 436.80 for the win. Conroe Grand Oaks’ Ryleigh Rodgers placed second with 422.75 points while Midland Greenwood’s Grace Austin took a close third with a score of 422.10.

Shortly after her dominant performance in the 200 IM, Looney was back in the water to win the 100 fly. Her final time of 52.28 was even faster than her 5A record-setting 53.59 she set during prelims. Friendswood’s Olivia Theall flew to second in 54.27 while her teammate Lezli Sisung finished third in 56.05.

After anchoring the winning medley relay, Daspit dove back in the water to grab an individual gold after racing to the wall in 50.41 in the 100 free. 50 free champion Liu finished a close second in 50.50 while Longi was a half-second behind in 51.00.

Future Michigan Wolverine Sims dominated the 500 free, winning the event by 18 seconds. Her final time of 4:39.73 crushed Kopenski’s 5A and State record of 4:42.16 set back in 2015. Herceg also broke five minutes in 4:57.56 for second while Elgin’s Becca Rivers 5:00.89

Austin Johnson’s Elizabeth Myers (23.73), Sarah Mines (24.94), Jules Hays (25.37) and Longi (23.32) combined to win the 4×50 free relay in 1:37.36. Close behind was Friendswood in 1:37.48 for second and Humble Kingwood Park in 1:38.33 for third.

After taking second in the 200 IM, Koczo, an Alabama commit, powered home to a win in the 100 back with a time of 54.77. CS A&M Consolidated’s Kaitlyn Owen was close behind in 54.90 for second and Sisung grabbed a third-place finish in 55.37.

Frisco’s Jadyn Jannasch, who has handed LSU an early verbal, got her hands to the wall in 1:03.78 to win the 100 breast. 1:04.31 was fast enough for Aledo’s Hannah Farmer to place secon and Magnolia’s Olivia Gonder took third in 1:05.01.

Montgomery’s Curington (54.29), Kaitlyn Weightman (53.53), Sims (50.82) and Daspit (50.93) concluded the meet as champions in the 4×100 free relay in 3:29.57 ahead of Humble Kingwood Park (3:33.48) and Friendswood (3:33.90).

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Julie Gumina

5 years ago

WTG, Kaitlynn!! She’s amazing!

Ja Bounce

5 years ago

Kaitlynn Sims 12 MONT 4:42.73 4:39.73* 20 r:+0.87 26.28 53.83 (27.55) 1:21.77 (27.94) 1:49.98 (28.21) 2:18.55 (28.57) 2:47.04 (28.49) 3:15.51 (28.47) 3:43.80 (28.29) 4:12.20 (28.40) 4:39.73 (27.53)…

Wowzy! Crazy Solid Swim!! congrats

2nd place – 4:57.56

Keith

5 years ago

Way to go Ryleigh Rodgers! Making history as the First Grand Oaks High State Medalist!