Madison YMCA Mariners Inspire at the Holiday Classic XXXI

By Carrie Guarino

Hailed as one of the fastest swim meets in the state of New Jersey, and held annually for over thirty years, the Holiday Classic XXXI took place at the Sonny Werblin Rec Center at Rutgers University from December 15-17, 2017. With rigorous qualifying times and over fifty competing teams, the YMCA Madison Mariners (MAY) sent thirteen of their fastest athletes to race against New Jersey’s most competitive swimmers. Representing the Mariners were Anuthra Abeysinghe, Kyle Beebe, Atticus Chang, Tirian Chang, Sadie Clarke, Hannah Corcoran, Collin Faraher, Bella Guarino, Terry Luongo, Molly Newman, Owen Smith, Ryan Snarr, and Owen Weller.

With as many as one hundred fifty athletes and over twenty heats of swimmers competing in a given race, the Mariners demonstrated that even a small team can produce significant results. Proving to be a true inspiration, and leading the pack for the boys’ team was Collin Faraher (12), who swam in eight individual events. Collin finished among the top ten in four of his races, including the 50-yd breast, 100-yd IM, 200-yd breast and 100-yd breast, while achieving personal best and Junior Olympic (JO) qualifying times in all of those events. Collin also posted impressive results and several best times in the 100-yd free, 200-yd IM, 50-yd free and 50-yd back. Kyle Beebe (13) swam the 500-yrd freestyle in an impressive 5:13.29, qualifying him for JOs, along with achieving JO times in each of his individual events, including the 100-yd freestyle, 200-yd fly, 100-yd fly, and 100-yd back. Terry Luongo (14) sprinted to success and qualified for JOs in the 100-yd free, 50-yd free, 100-yd back and 200-yd back. Both the 100 and 200-yd backstroke times were just hundredths of seconds away from NJ Zones qualifying times. Ryan Snarr (12), who swam in six individual events, earned two JO times (200-yd back and 50-yd free) and swam personal bests in several other events, including the 100-yd fly, 100-yd free, 100-yd back, and 50-yd fly.

Always a consistently fierce athlete, and considered a mentor to his teammates, Atticus Chang (13) of the Mariners boys’ team, attained JO qualifying times in the 100-yd fly and 100-yd breast, while brother Tirian (9), the youngest Mariner swimmer to qualify and attend the meet, sprinted to the finish of his 50-yrd fly, earning another JO time. Owen Smith (10), posted three personal best times and achieved JO status in all events, including the 100-yd breast, 50-yd breast, and 50-yd back, while Anuthra Abeysinghe earned a JO time in the 50-yd breast. Owen Weller swam to an impressive finish in the 100-yd back, achieving his personal best and a Sunkissed qualifying time.

Let’s not forget the Mariners girls team who dazzled at this year’s Holiday Classic. Leading the way was Bella Guarino (12), who excelled in all four of her events, posting personal bests and/or JO qualifying times in the 100-yd back, 100-yd breast, and 50-yd back and 50-yd free. Hannah Corcoran (17), who has been a long-standing Mariner swimmer, shined in the 100-yd breast, qualifying for Sunkissed, and Sadie Clarke (10) and Molly Newman (10) both dropped substantial time in their 50-yd freestyle events, earning them JO qualifying times.

As a cause-driven charitable organization, the Madison Area YMCA is dedicated to nurturing the potential of every child and teen, and improving the community’s health and well-being and giving back by providing support to our neighbors.