Ostrom Family Continues to Rule 100 Breaststroke

The sibling rivalry is still alive and well.

junior Kathryn Ostrom is already a state champion. She and is the top seed at this weekend’s Class A state swimming and diving championships in Minneapolis.

Ostrom’s natural ability, dedication and competitive nature all factor into her success, St. Louis Park coach Jake Schwietering said. But Ostrom still has family-based motivation to continue to thrive.

Her sister, Megan, won the 100 breaststroke state championship in 2009 and still holds several North Suburban Conference meet records. It keeps the younger Ostrom chasing the clock every week attempting to break her marks.

“I definitely want to prove to my sister I’m just as good as her,” Kathryn Ostrom said. “We’re very competitive with each other and want to see who is the better one. It’s just fun, but it’s a healthy competition.”

Kathryn Ostrom began swimming at age 7, just like Megan before her. Like Megan, she moved from to the Edina Swim Club growing up.

And in 2010, she followed in Megan’s footsteps as a state champion in the same event. In 2011, she has a chance to win her second state title.

It’s an ongoing rivalry.

“It was Kathryn’s determination to break everything her sister broke,” Schwietering said. “She still had that competitive nature, even though her sister wasn’t there, and that provided a lot of fuel for her.”

What makes these two sisters such strong competitors in the breaststroke?

“They always say great breaststrokers come from the womb,” Schwietering said. “They have that ankle flexibility, and very few girls have that natural whip kick to them. When they do, when you do find it, it’s a gift.”

A year ago, Kathryn Ostrom felt pressure to follow in her sister’s footsteps as champion, but she wasn’t the top seed. This time around, she’s the favorite, and that brings a new pressure to the state meet.

“There is more pressure this year knowing I got it last year,” she said. “That I have to get it this year.”

Albert Lea eighth-grader Lindsey Horejsi is the second seed and figures to factor in the race. But like other races before, there will likely be another competitor in this event.

Another Ostrom will factor in, even if she’s not in the water. Kathryn Ostrom is hopeful come Saturday, she’ll walk away with another title.

“It would be amazing,” Ostrom said. “It would be the icing on the cake.”

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IF YOU GO

What: State Class A swimming championships

Where: University of Minnesota Aquatic Center (1910 University Ave. SE,
Minneapolis)

When: Preliminary round: Friday, 12 p.m.; Championships: Saturday, 12 p.m.

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ORIOLES EVENTS

• 200 medley relay
• 200 freestyle: Kailey DeLozier
• 200 IM: Hannah Hein
• 100 butterfly: Kathryn Ostrom
• 500 freestyle: Kailey DeLozier
• 100 backstroke: Hannah Hein
• 100 breaststroke: Emmi Zheng, Kathryn Ostrom
• 400 freestyle relay