Illinois Senior Swimming Championships

By Candice Peak

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 11. THE Redbird Swim Club won the 2010 Illinois Senior short-course yard Swimming Championships at Flames Natatorium at the University of Illinois-Chicago, narrowly beating Patriot Aquatic Club and Fox Valley Swim Team.

2009 Illinois High School state champion Rebecca Stoughton helped Redbird Swim Club to a win by winning four individual events, breaking an Illinois state record along the way. Stoughton broke a 13 year old state record in 500 free (4:48.40) on her way to a win and won three more events including the 1000 free (9:56.51), 1650 free (16:33.63), and 400 IM (4:21.89).

University of Tennessee bound swimmer Lindsay Gendron, also of Redbird, won three events individually including the 50 free (23.63), 100 free (51.16), and 200 free (1:48.92).

Emily Fogle, of Patriot Aquatic Club, who is headed to Purdue in the fall, won two events individually including the 100 breast (1:01.98) and 200 breast (2:16.93). Fogle's win in the 100 breast earned her the best female individual performance award of the meet. Fogle was also a member of Patriot Swim Club's winning 800 free relay (7:36.51) and 400 free relay (3:30.78).

Connie Hsu of Wheaton Swim Club also won multiple events including the 200 IM (2:04.95) and 200 fly (2:01.85). Other event winners included future Virginia Cavalier, Jane Munro of the YMCA Flying Fish, Haley Sims of Express, and Olivia Smoliga of the Glenview Titans. Munro won the 100 back (56.64), Sims won the 100 fly (56.96), and Smoliga won the 200 back (2:02.09).

The Academy Bullets broke a 13-year-old record in the 400 medley relay (3:49.40) previously held by Westmont Swim Club.

National Youth Team member Matthew Elliott from Peoria won four individual events including the 100 breast (54.69), a new state record in the 200 breast (1:59.57), 200 IM (1:53.01), and 400 IM (3:57.36).

Daniel Thomson of Hinsdale also had multiple individual wins including the 500 free (4:29.25), 1000 free (9:12.80), and 1650 free (15:20.54) which broke the Illinois state record by almost 15 seconds.

Also picking up multiple wins was Illinois Boys High School State Champion Grant Betulius of Fox Valley Swim Club and Jonathan Williamson of Redbird Swim Club. Betulius won the 100 back (50.07) and 200 back (1:50.29) and Williamson won the 100 fly (49.99) and 200 fly (1:50.24).

Other event winners included 2008 Olympian for Croatia Bruno Barbic of Big Blue Aquatics who won the 50 free (20.29), Patrick Falconer of Patriot Aquatic Club who won the 200 free (1:39.19), and Daniel Tucker of Maverick Swim Club who won the 100 free (45.73).

Fox Valley won two relays on the men's side including the 400-medley relay (3:21.91), which broke the state record and the 800 free relay (6:49.57). New Trier Swim Club earned a win in the 400 free relay (3:07.56).

Redbird Swim Club won the championship with 625.5 points, Patriot Aquatic Club came in second with 584 points, and Fox Valley Swim Team was third with 550.5 points.

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