Making a Splash at Greenwich Town Swimming Championship

Written by Nick Cavataro.

More than 300 swimmers from the town’s age group teams took to the water Saturday at Greenwich High School for the 13th Annual Greenwich Town Swimming Championships.

Sponsored by the YWCA of Greenwich and the Dolphins Swim Team, the meet attracted a packed house at GHS pool and featured teams from the YWCA, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club as well as contingents form the Sharks Swim Team and Convent of the Sacred Heart.

Where the competition had a festive mood, with many Santa hats in and reindeer antler hats in the stands and deck, the racing was all business as the competitors vied for top spots in over 40 events and qualifying times for State level march meets.

Triple winners included the Dolphins Lilly O’Sullivan, 8, who took the 8-and-under 25-yard Freestyle, backstroke and Butterfly races with respective times of 16.19, 19.48 and 18.59. On the Boy’s side Tomas Delgado, 8, of the Dolphins claimed gold in the 25-Free, Breast and Fly races with respective times of 14.78, 20.96 and 16.84.

The Dolphins Meghan Lynch, 10, came away with four wins – including a pair of meet records - winning the 9-10 girls 50-Free at 27.03 and the 50-yard breaststroke at 34.59. Lynch also just missed the meet mark in winning the 50-Butterfly at 31.37; and, on Thursday took the Mixed 200-yard Butterfly at 2:38.03. The boy’s side saw Alexander Hazlett, 10, take the top spot in the 50-Free at 28.86; the 50-Breast at 38.71 and the 50-Butterfly at 32.95. On Thursday he picked up a win in the 100-Butterfly at 1:14.28, to make it four golds.

Action in the 11-12 girls group saw the Dolphins Allison Opuszynski, 12, win a pair of gold taking the 50-Free at 26.83 and the 50-Butterfly at 30.50. The Dolphins’ Dan Bailey, 12, captured the 50-Free, Back and Butterfly races with times of 28.21, 33.84 and 31.45, respectively.

The 13-14 group saw the Dolphins Kate Hazlett, 13, claim 5 golds winning the 100-Free at 55.86; the 100-Backstroke at 1:03.24 and the 100-yard Butterfly at 1:03.83. At the Thursday distance section, Hazlett won the 200-Back at 2:12.47 andFriday took the top spot in the 500-Free at 5:29.70. The Dolphins’ Ryan Bedell took the 13-14 100-Free at 57.34; the 100-Breast at 1:08.43 and the 500-Free at 5:19.70.

The 15-and-over class saw Brooke Collins, 15, capture five golds, taking the 100-Back, Breast and Butterfly races with times of 1:06.18, 1:14.15 and 1:05.40. On Friday the GHS sophomore took the top spot in the 400-yard Individual medley at 4:58.55 and also claimed the mixed 200-Breast at 2:37.90. The boy’s 15-and-over class saw Graham Hazlett, 15, take the 100-Free, Back and Butterfly events with respective times of 50.39. 58.03 and 58.60. The 100-yard clocking was a meet record in the 100-Back.

Speaking of the annual tradition, the Dolphins head Coach Nick Cavataro, who also served s the meet director commented, “This has really developed in an event that swimmers and families look forward to each year at a great venue. The competition is both friendly and competitive!”