Riverwood Charter Student Wins First Place at State Swim Meet

Riverwood International Charter School Senior Lila Claire Best recently won first place in the Girls 200-yard Freestyle in the 2015 GHSA State Swimming and Diving meet.

Although two members of the Riverwood Boys Swim Team* hold state gold medals, Best is the first member of the girls team to bring home a first place award. Her 1:50.44 winning time in the 200 Freestyle broke the Raider school record, which Best established at last year’s state championship. In 2014, she finished fourth in the State in the 200 Free.

In addition to her first place medal in the 200 Free this year, Best returned to the podium to receive the second place award in the Girls 100 yard Freestyle event. Her 51.67 time also broke the Raider school record. Last year, Best tied for 6th in the state in the 100 Free.

Best enrolled at Riverwood as a sophomore and immediately made an impact on the Raider swim program. During her first year she made the podium at the 2013 State Championships with a third place finish in the 500 Freestyle (4:59.38).

During her three year tenure, Best set seven of a possible 11 Raider girls swim records. In addition to the 200 Free and 100 Free records established this year, she set the 50 & 500 Free and 100 Backstroke in 2013. Best was a member of the 200 and 400 Free Relay teams which set new school records in 2015.

Best received a scholarship to attend the U.S. Naval Academy next year. The Midshipmen recruited her to swim both sprint and middle distance freestyle, as well as backstroke and butterfly.

Best is an Honor Roll student, a member of the Raider BETA and Interact Clubs and is a three-time Scholastic All-American.

She is a recipient of the Raider Sportsmanship Award and is captain of the 2014-15 Raider Swim team. The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce named Best the January 2015 Student-Athlete of the Month, and received Female Athlete of the Week honors from Neighbor Newspapers during both her Junior and Senior years.

Outside of school, Best swims with the Stingrays in Marietta where she also serves as team captain.

*Riverwood Boys Swim Team State Champions: Eric Wunderlich,500 freestyle,1986, 1st Place (4:46.25) and Bob Carter, 200 Freestyle, 1974, 1st Place (1:49.62)

Photo credits: Riverwood International Charter School