Inaugural Native American Swimming Championships Held in Late July

TOWAOC, Colorado, August 8. THE Ute Mountain Ute Tribe hosted the Inaugural Native American Swimming Championships from July 20-22 at their Recreation Center pool in Towaoc, Colo.

Nearly three dozen of the finest Native swimmers from North Carolina, Oklahoma, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado competed in the three-day swimming program that featured a full compliment of events. The meet also was sanctioned by USA Swimming.

Competitors were awarded the standard gold, silver, and bronze medals, while rosette ribbons were given for fourth-sixth place. In addition, full-sized Indian blankets were given to each of the top scorers in the eight divisions.

The most noteworthy winning swims included:
Elliot Casey, 19, 100-meter back (1:06.53)
Justine Scaccia, 19, 100 fly (1:12.40)
Phillip Pettibone, 15, 100 free (59.78)
Tre' Cuthair, 11, 200 back (2:57.42)
Dominique Tso, 9, 50 breast (56.09)

Competition was especially fierce in the Girls Scholastic Division (ages 12-15). Each of the races featured quality swimmers from several different teams, the results of which were four-wide, close racing, in every event.

At the front of the pack, however, were two Four Corners Aquatic Teams swimmers: Tori Alldredge, 15, and April Chee, 13. Several of their races came down to the touch. Alldredge, however, got the best of it nine out of her 10 swims. Her best swim occurred in the 100 free, which she won with a time of 1:04.75. Her lone loss came in the 50 free, which she finished second to Chee, who won in 29.42.

The championship meet is slated to take place annually in Towaoc, as every effort is now being made to promote the sport of swimming among Native athletes. The prospects for drawing even greater numbers of Native swimmers to the meet in future years are good.

Special thanks to Dick Taylor, Director of the Native American Swimming Championships, for contributing this report.

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