The Durango Swim Club, which also includes athletes from Cortez, Dolores and beyond, had 19 athletes qualify for their respective state championships this summer.
The club’s 12-and-under swimmers raced in Colorado Age Group Long Course State Championship on July 27 to 29 at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction while the 13-and-older swimmers competed in the Long Course State Championship held July 20 to 23 at Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton.
“We are so proud of our 19 swimmers that have shown so much dedication and effort throughout the year to be able to earn qualifying times into Colorado Long Course State Championships,” said Kristin Thomas of the Durango Swim Club. “Each of these swimmers have worked very hard throughout the year to be able to attend these state meets. It will be exciting to watch these swimmers in the next few years because each of them will continue to strive to become faster, stronger athletes.”
For the 12-and-under championship, 10 DSC members qualified and eight competed in the state meet. Brinley Duran of Cortez, 10, was the team’s high-point winner, scoring 176 points with seven top-10 results.
Duran touched second in 50-meter backstroke (40.14 seconds) and fourth in 200 freestyle (2:43.64). She also placed fifth in four events: the 10U 200 individual medley, the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 butterfly while also crossing eighth in the 50 fly.
Eddie Harrington scored 28 points, Bear Allport scored 16 and Bodie Fischer added 12, while Ava McKown, Ivy Nakamoto George Harrington and Grayson LeRoux also competed.
Allport, Fischer and Eddie Harrington and LeRoux placed 13th in 200 medley relay and touched 16th in 200 freestyle relay.
Fischer also competed in seven individual events, with his best result coming in the 100 back, where he finished 18th.
In the team race, the Durango Swim Club finished 18th out of 30 teams at the 12U championship.
“With only eight swimmers attending, that’s really good and exciting for our team,” Thomas said.
The team also had nine athletes qualify for the 13-and-older championships and four compete.
Denny Woods scored a team-high 29 points, advancing to the 100 breastsroke finals with fifth-place preliminary swim and eventually finishing eighth overall in 1:12.35.
Grant Wright of Dolores scored 23 points, dropping nearly 20 seconds in the 1,500 freestyle to place seventh in 19:31.04. Wright also competed in the 400 medley (27th), the 400 free (29th) and 50 free (44th).
Liam Paxton-Horn added 11 points and touched 16th in the 400 IM (5:32.49).
Wyatt Hawley also competed and scored seven team points.
