Local Swimmers Compete with Phelps, Coughlin in Santa Clara

Alicia Grima first met Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin at the USA Swimming Santa Clara International Grand Prix as a fan.

Over the weekend, she met the Olympic gold medalists in a different context.

This time, Grima was trying to carve out her own name amid an elite field.

“I remember coming to this meet when I was like 11 and getting autographs,” said Grima, an incoming Woodside High senior.

“Now I’m swimming in the warm-up pool with them. It’s pretty cool.”

Grima, who competed in eight events, was among a select group of San Mateo County teenagers competing at the exhausting four-day event that for prep swimmers marked the beginning of the long course season, with distances marked by meters instead of yards that are the standard measuring unit on the high school short course circuit.

The long course season runs through the summer. The next big event for advanced prep swimmers is the July 20-25 Speedo Championship Series Sectionals in Clovis.

Sacred Heart Prep incoming senior Tom Kremer, a 2012 Olympic hopeful on the Israeli team, advanced to the finals in two events.

Kremer, who raced for the Peak Swimming club team, competed in nine events – six individually and three relays.

He placed 10^th in the men’s 200-meter butterfly, clocking a 2:02.11, and 26^th in the 200 individual medley (2:08.41).

Kremer finished eight places behind Phelps in the 200 butterfly. And although he was in the second tier “B” group, his time was eight tenths of a second faster than Sebastian Rousseau, who swam in the same “A” group pool as Phelps.

Phelps clocked a 1:55.40 in the finals, but his 2:00.43 earlier in the day was just 1.68 seconds faster than Kremer’s finals time.

“It is pretty cool that at least when he’s not trying too hard I’m still within reach,” Kremer said.

“Just a few more years and I shouldn’t be too far off.”

Even for top local athletes who weren’t competing at the same level as Phelps and Coughlin, it was a thrill just being around the swimming celebrities.

“I was kind of star struck,” Burlingame incoming senior Kristen Brennand said. “My coach was actually talking to me at the time, and I forgot everything that he said. I was just staring at Michael Phelps when he walked by. I was just kind of amazed.”

Kremer, who’s headed to Europe next month to compete in the European Youth Championships for Israel, swam in the same pool as Phelps last month at a Grand Prix race in Indianapolis.

Kremer also placed 29^th in the 100 butterfly (55.61) and 39^th in the 200 backstroke (2:09.29).

“It’s still kind of intimidating,” Kremer said. “It’s not the first time I’ve raced up there with Olympians, but I’m still not really used to it.”

The meet was for many prep stars their first chance to compete against established college and elite international swimmers.

Times are typically slower in the early stages of the Grand Prix, with most swimmers approaching the Santa Clara meet like a spring training exhibition competition.

“We weren’t expecting the best times here, but the meet was surprisingly fast,” Kremer said.

Grima, who raced for the Palo Alto/Stanford Aquatics (PASA) team, placed 69^th in the women’s 400 IM (5:08.23) and 95^th in the 200 IM (2:26.20). She felt her best showing was in the 100 freestyle, which she finished in 59.30, just four-tenths of a second from a personal best in what she admits isn’t her best event.

“I feel like this weekend I really pushed my limits because doing eight events is really hard,” she said. “It was tough, but I got through it, so I’m happy.”

Incoming SHP sophomore Ally Howe (PASA), competed in seven races, finishing 35^th in the women’s 200 butterfly (2:19.06), 37^th in the 100 butterfly (1:02.63) and 44^th in the 200 backstroke (2:19.37).

Ronald Chen (PASA), an incoming San Mateo senior, raced in four events, taking 71^st in the men’s 400 IM (4:45.53).

Brennand was among three Burlingame High women’s swimmers competing. Incoming juniors Maddie Gebhard and Naomi Thomas were the others.

Brennand competed in three races, with a 110^th-place finish in the 200 IM (2:26.86). Gebhard, who was also swimming for Burlingame Aquatics, raced in two events, with a 94^th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:17.69).

Thomas (PASA) competed in three events, and tied for 73^rd in the 200 butterfly in 2:24.12.

Megan Beach, a Sequoia senior-to-be who was swimming for Peninsula Covenant Aquatics, finished 83^rd in the women’s 100 breaststroke (1:16.99).

Menlo-Atherton grad Sarah Winters (Solo Aquatics) raced in five events, placing 133^rd in the women’s 400 freestyle (4:45.92).