Local Swimmers Finish 5th Overall at Junior Olympics

As the 2012 London Olympics got under way, young athletes from Murrieta were competing in the USA Swimming-sponsored 2012 Long Course Junior Olympics.

MESA Aquatics, a competitive USA Swimming team comprised of several youth from southwest Riverside County cities, made a splash when it placed fifth overall at the event held July 25-29 in Mission Viejo. The team sent 33 swimmers to compete in the prestigious Eastern Division meet against others from across Southern California, according to a news release.

USA Swimming is responsible for selecting and training teams for international competition including the Olympic Games, according to its website, USASwimming.org.

The fifth-place overall finish for MESA Aquatics was an improvement from a 10th place finish during the same competition last year, according to MESA Aquatics Coach James Bilbrey.

Swimmers had to first qualify in order to be invited to the event.

"Swimmers worked throughout the long course season to achieve the time standards to qualify for this meet and this was their time to shine, and shine they did," Bilbrey said, in the news release.

Of note was Luke Asbury, who just turned 9 years old. He swam fast enough in his 100M Backstroke in prelims to earn a second swim in the Consolation Finals. Luke went on to place 16th overall at the meet, quite an accomplishment for someone so young in his age group, Bilbrey said.

Adrian Gutierrez had an exciting swim in the Championship Final of the 200 Backstroke, Bilbrey said. He turned fifth at the 100M mark, but turned it on in the last 100M to come from behind and win the event, his coach said.

MESA Aquatics, which practices at the Elsinore High School pool in Wildomar, achieved several new time standards and team records at the meet.

Those who finished in the Top 16 included:

Luke Asbury – Boys 7-10 100M Backstroke – 1:32.37 – 16^th Place

James Bilbrey – Boys 13-14 400M Freestyle – 4:38.70 – 14^th Place

James Bilbrey – Boys 13-14 100M Backstroke – 1:09.71 – 14^th Place

James Bilbrey – Boys 13-14 200M Backstroke – 2:27.80 – 5^th Place

LeAnna Bridges – Girls 5-10 50M Freestyle – 33.36 – 12^th Place

LeAnna Bridges – Girls 5-10 100M Freestyle – 1:12.83 – 7^th Place

LeAnna Bridge – Girls 5-10 50M Butterfly – 37.50 – 11^th Place

Coleton Brubaker – Boys 13-14 1500M Freestyle – 19:05.02 – 10^th Place

Coleton Brubaker – Boys 13-14 100M Butterfly – 1:06.98 – 15^th Place

Coleton Brubaker – Boys 13-14 200M Butterfly – 2:26.92 – 12^th Place

Dakota Brubaker – Boys 13-14 800M Freestyle – 9:24.98 – 9^th Place – Team Record

Dakota Brubaker – Boys 13-14 1500M Freestyle – 18:09.83 – 6^th Place – Team Record  

Dakota Brubaker – Boys 13-14 100M Butterfly – 1:06.28 – 14^th Place

Dakota Brubaker – Boys 13-14 200M IM – 2:29.42 – 16^th Place

Lauren Chamberlain- Girls 15 & Over 200M Backstroke- 2:46.62- 16^th Place

Miriam Gonzalez – Girls 13-14 100M Freestyle – 1:02.76 – 6^th Place

Miriam Gonzalez – Girls 13-14 100M Breaststroke – 1:21.03 – 5^th Place

Adrian Gutierrez – Boys 15 & Over 200M Backstroke – 2:19.65 – 1^st Place

Adrian Gutierrez – Boys 15 & Over 100M Butterfly – 1:01.50 – 6^th Place

Adrian Gutierrez – Boys 15 & Over 200M Butterfly – 2:20.31 – 7^th Place

Adrian Gutierrez – Boys 15 & Over 400M IM – 5:00.42 – 5^th Place – New Winter JO – Team Record

Michelle Helbig- Girls 15 & Over 100M Backstroke- 1:14.47 16^th Place

Allison Keeling – Girls 5-10 50M Freestyle – 32.04 – 5^th Place – New SCSRT

Allison Keeling – Girls 5-10 100M Freestyle – 1:10.39 – 6^th Place – Team Record

Allison Keeling – Girls 5-10 200M Freestyle – 2:30.92 – 3^rd Place – Team Record

Allison Keeling – Girls 5-10 50M Backstroke – 39.31 – 10^th Place

Matthew Keeling – Boys 13-14 100M Freestyle – 1:00.43 – 14^th Place – New Winter JO

Nathan Ketcheside – Boys 13-14 100M Freestyle 59.53 – 8^th Place

Nathan Ketcheside – Boys 13-14 100M Backstroke – 1:07.33 – 4^th Place – New SCSRT

Nathan Ketcheside – Boys 13-14 200M Backstroke – 2:27.63 – 4^th Place

Nathan Ketcheside – Boys 13-14 100M Butterfly – 1:04.65 – 9^th Place

Nathan Ketcheside – Boys 13-14 200M IM – 2:26.47 – 10^th Place

Vivian Louviere – Girls 13-14 100M Freestyle – 1:02.77 – 7^th Place

Vivian Louviere – Girls 13-14 200M Freestyle 2:17.38 – 12^th Place – New Winter JO

Brooke Miles – Girls 13-14 50M Freestyle – 28.86 – 9^th Place – New SCSRT

Brooke Miles – Girls 13-14 100M Freestyle – 1:01.07 – 2^nd Place – New Sectionals Time – Team Record

Brooke Miles – Girls 13-14 200M Freestyle – 2:16.66 – 11^th Place – New Winter JO

Brooke Miles – Girls 13-14 100M Breaststroke – 1:24.46 – 12^th Place

Devin Quan – Boys 11-12 50M Freestyle – 29.74 – 9^th Place

Devin Quan – Boys 11-12 100M Freestyle – 1:05.00 – 11^th Place

Devin Quan – Boys 11-12 50M Breaststroke – 37.90 – 4^th Place

Devin Quan – Boys 11-12 100M Breaststroke – 1:20.16 – 2^nd Place

Devin Quan – Boys 11-12 50M Butterfly – 32.66 – 12^th Place

Doug Quan- Boys 13-14 100M Backstroke- 1:12.21- 16^th Place

Doug Quan- Boys 13-14 200M Freestyle- 2:12.57 14^th Place

Joseph Stefano – Boys 11-12 400M Freestyle – 5:13.91 – 15^th Place – New Winter JO

Katelyn Thomas – Girls 11-12 50M Freestyle – 30.57 – 12^th Place

Katelyn Thomas – Girls 11-12 50M Backstroke – 35.14 – 9^th Place

Katelyn Thomas – Girls 11-12 100M Backstroke – 1:18.08 – 10^th Place

Katelyn Thomas – Girls 11-12 100M Breaststroke – 1:26.99 – 15^th Place

Katelyn Thomas – Girls 11-12 100M Butterfly – 1:16.62 – 16^th Place

Gabriel Uhls – Boys 13-14 100M Butterfly – 1:05.95 – 13^th Place

Gabriel Uhls- Boys 13-14 200M Butterfly

Girls 11-12 200M Medley Relay – 2:25.61 – 11^th Place -Team Record

Katelyn Thomas

Alyssa Serrano

Trinity Uhls

Brittney Miles

Girls 13-14 200M Freestyle Relay – 1:59.82 – 4^th Place- Team Record

Brooke Miles

Rachelle Szilagyi

Miriam Gonzalez

Vivian Louviere

Girls 13-14 200M Medley Relay – 2:16.85 – 7^th Place- Team Record

Brooke Miles

Miriam Gonzalez

Vivian Louviere

Rachelle Szilagyi

Boys 13-14 200M Freestyle Relay – 1:50.50 – 3^rd Place – Team Record

Doug Quan

Matthew Keeling

Jack Hartwell

Nathan Ketcheside

Boys 13-14 200M Medley Relay – 2:08.60 – 7^th Place- Team Record

Nathan Ketcheside

Doug Quan

James Bilbrey

Matthew Keeling