Courtesy/Anna Zhang

Courtesy/Anna Zhang

By ANNA ZHANG
Swimming Coach
Mountain Club

Mountain Club won the First Place at the New Mexico Swimming Short Course Winter Finale and finished 6th at the New Mexico Swimming Short Course State Championship.

Our swimmers earned 254 individual medals (top 8 finish), and 15 individual high point awards in these two meets.

The 2024 New Mexico Swimming Short Course State Championship was held by the Charger Aquatics from March 7-11 at the West Mesa Aquatics Center.

Mountain Club finished 6th overall among 16 teams from New Mexico.

Here are the top 12 teams:

Mountain had 25 swimmers who participated in this championship with 85 individual events and 22 relays. Our swimmers took 44 individual medals and Justin Lei (11) was awarded 3rd place for his high point for Boys 11-12 group.

Here are the 16 swimmers who were qualified (have BB times) in this championship:

• Girls: Alma Hurlocker (14), Sophia Pakin (13), Emilie Daligault (12), Preslee Robinson (9), Eleanora Minko (8), Julia Zou (14), Rachel Bowlan (12), Leia Lin (11), and Melia Arbuckle (10).
• Boys: Thomas Daligault (14), Justin Lei (11), Kevin Zou (12), Daniel Certik (8), Z Certik (11), Magnus Leitner (12), and Javier Chacon Cuesta (12).

Here are our 9 relay swimmers who had a huge contribution for our club 6th place finish:

• Girls: Angelina Goodman (13), Olivia Haroz (12), and Avery Snapp (9).
• Boys: Benjamin Minko (11), Simeon Capolungo (12), Daniel Yampolsky (11), Owen Herring (9), Leandre Capolungo (8), and Gabriel Haroz (8).

Here are the top three finish for individual events and relays from our club:

• Boys 11-12 group, our teams finished 2nd for 400 Free, and 3rd for 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 Free relays.
• Thomas Daligault (14), son of Jerome and Hajnalka Daligault, finished the 1st for 100 Breast and 100 Free, 2nd for 200 IM, and 3rd for 50 Free in the Boys 13-14 son group.
• Justin Lei (11), finished the 1st for 200 Breast, 2nd for 200 IM and 100 Breast, and 3rd for 100 IM and 50 Breast in the Boys 11-12 group.
• Kevin Zou (12), son of Nan Zou and Ying Xiong, finished the 2nd for 200 Breast in the Boys 11-12 group.
• Daniel Certik (8), finished the 2nd for 100 Fly in the Boys 10 & Under group.
• Preslee Robinson (9), finished the 2nd for 100 Fly in the Girls 10 & Under group.
• Emilie Daligault (12), finished the 3rd for 200 Back in the Girls 11-12 group.
• Magnus Leitner (12), finished the 3rd for 200 IM in the Boys 11-12 group.

The 2024 NM Swimming Short Course Winter Finale was held by the Beast Aquatics from March 2-3 at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center. Mountain Club finished the first among the 16 teams from New Mexico. Our club got 1405 points and was 560 points ahead of the second place. Mountain Club had 51 swimmers who participated in this Finale with 328 individual events and 20 relays. Our swimmers took 210 individual medals and earned 14 individual high-point awards.

Here are the swimmers who earned the individual high-point awards:

• Girls 11-12 group: the 1st for Rachel Bowlan (12), 2nd for Leia Lin (11), and 3rd for Olivia Haroz (12).
• Boys 11-12 group: the 1st for Magnus Leitner (12), 2nd for Javier Chacon Cuesta (12), and 3rd for Z Certik (11).
• Girls 9-10 group:  the 3rd for Melia Arbuckle (10).
• Girls 7-8 group: the 1st for Alicia Chen (8), and 3rd for Eleanora Minko (8).
• Boys 7-8 group: the 3rd for Daniel Certik (8).
• Girls 6 & Under group: the 3rd for Paula Nelson (4).
• Boys 6 & Under group: the 1st for Graydon Waters (6), 2nd for Torren Certik (5), and 3rd for Oliver Snapp (6).

Here are the champions from our club:

• Girls 8 & Under group:  the 1st for 100 Free and 100 IM relays.
• Girls 10 & Under group: the 1st for 200 IM relay.
• Girls 12 & Under group: the 1st for 200 IM relay.
• Boys 6 & Under group: the 1st for 100 Free relay.
• Boys 8 & Under group: the 1st for 100 IM relay.
• Boys 12 & Under group: the 1st for 200 Free and 200 IM relays.
• Alma Hurlocker (14), daughter of Beth Sanchez and Sandy Hurlocker, finished the 1st for 100 Back and 50 Free in the Girls 13-14 group.
• Emilie Daligault (12), daughter of Jerome and Hajnalka Daligault, finished the 1st for 100 Fly, 50 Back and 50 Fly in the Girls 11-12 group.
• Rachel Bowlan (12), daughter of John and Pamela Bowlan, finished the 1st for 100 Free in the Girls 11-12 group.
• Leia Lin (11), daughter of Shizeng Lin and Xi Yang, finished the 1st for 100 Breast and 200 IM in the Girls 11-12 group.
• Olivia Haroz (12), daughter of Erik and Ellaine Haroz, finished the 1st for 100 Back in the Girls 11-12 group.
• Preslee Robinson (9), daughter of Jacob and Jessica Robinson, finished the 1st for 50 Free, 50 Breast and 50 Fly in the Girls 9-10 group.
• Avery Snapp (9), daughter of Steve Snappp and Kathleen McDonald, finished the 1st for 100 Fly in the Girls 9-10 group.
• Eleanora Minko (8), daughter of of Yury Minko and Tatyana Elkin, finished the 1st for 25 Free, 25 Back, 25 Breast, 25 Fly, and 50 Back in the Girls 7-8 group.
• Alicia Chen (8), daughter of Bailian Chen and Jiajia Wang, finished the 1st for 100 IM and 50 Breast in the Girls 7-8 group.
• Grace Waters (7), daughter of Tim and Jiajia Waters, finished the 1st for 50 Fly in the Girls 7-8 group.
• Natan Svyatsky (13), son of Daniil Svyatsky and Natalia Sherman, finished the 1st for 50 Back in the Boys 13-14 group.
• Magnus Leitner (12), son of Thomas and Laura Leitner, finished the 1st for 100 & 200 IM, 100 Back & Breast & Fly, and 50 Fly in the Boys 11-12 group.
• Javier Chacon Cuesta (12), son of Luis Chacon and Isabel Cuesta, finished the 1st for 50 Free in the Boys 11-12 group.
• Z Certik (11), son of Ondrej and Michelle Certik, finished the 1st for 100 Free and 50 Breast in the Boys 11-12 group.
• Justin Lei (11), son of Zhou Lei and Yaping Huang, finished the 1st for 200 Free in the Boys 11-12 group.
• Benjamin Tondreau (10), son of Aaron and Sarah Tondreau, finished the 1st for 100 Fly in the Boys 9-10 group.
• Owen Herring (9), son of Davis and Angela Herring, finished the 1st for 50 Back in the Boys 9-10 group.
• Daniel Certik (8), son of Ondrej and Michelle Certik, finished the 1st for 100 Free, 50 Back and 25 Fly in the Boys 7-8 group.
• Graydon Waters (6), son of Tim and Jiajia Waters, finished the 1st for 25 Free, 25 Back, 50 Back, and 100 Free in the Boys 6 & Under group.
• Torren Certik (5), son of Ondrej and Michelle Certik, finished the 1st for 50 Free in the Boys 6 & Under group.
• Oliver Snapp (6), son of Steve Snappp and Kathleen McDonald, finished the 1st for 25 breast in the Boys 6 & Under group.

Our Mountain swimmers not only have hundreds personal best times but also keep our first place for the second year in the row. Congratulations to all of our swimmers!

Special thanks to our Mountain Club parents for their support. Getting up earlier, driving to the race sites, sitting with our swimmers for long hours, taking care of their needs, and encouraging them during these two long meets is not a easy task. Not mention the volunteer hours our parents have done. You are wonderful!

Enjoy the medals and trophies during the spring break and start to work hard for the long course season in April!

Swimmers of Mountain Club are coached by Anna Zhang. Coach Anna also teaches private swim lessons at Los Alamos aquatic center.

If you are interested in joining Mountain Club, send email to mountainswimming@gmail.com.

If you are interested in private swim lessons, you could get more information from the following:

• Swim Lesson website;
• RecTrac Registration;
• If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the front desk of the pool (505.662.8170).

Courtesy/Anna Zhang

 Courtesy/Anna Zhang

Courtesy/Anna Zhang