Local swimming team takes first in competition

FINGER LAKES--The United Southern Tier Aquatics team have won a 2021 AAU National Champions after they beat out Team Florida and Team New England at the Junior Olympic Championships in Houston, Texas. The margin of victory was by less than 150 with the team consisting of swimmers from Watkins Glen to Syracuse.
Local swimmers Thalia Marquez, Faye Mooney, Sibby Lowe, DeLaney Woodhouse, Elise Johnson, Alannah Klemann, Kendra and Makenzie Fish, Grace Shelhamer, Allison O'Brien, Lydia and Karina Lapierre competed in the competition.
"The USTA Girls are the 2021 AAU National Champions! The team squeaked out a win," said Jason Westervelt, coach of USTA.
The USTA team was created six years ago and consists of any USA swimming club in the Southern Tier and includes boys and girls swimmers ages 7-18.
"Members of the Glen Gators Swim Team have been working diligently through the spring and summer," said Westervelt. "Practices have included both short course yards and long course meters at indoor/outdoor venues."
Through the first part of the competition, Westervelt said they were in the lead by about 50 points and were able to maintain that gap until the end.
Highlights from the first day of competition include:
• Kendra Fish - Member of the 13-14 year old girls 400 Medley relay that took second place. Kendra also finished 15th in the 200 meter IM and 14th in the 100 meter backstroke.
• Makenzie Fish - finished fourth in the girls 8 and under 50 meter free and fifth in the 50 meter backstroke.
• Elise Johnson - Placed seventh in the 15-18 400 freestyle and was a member of the 9th place 400 Freestyle relay team.
• Alannah Klemann - Member of the sixth place 400 Medley relay, and fifth place 400 Freestyle relay, placed eighth in the 15-18 Girls 100 meter backstroke.
• Karina Lapierre - Place ninth in the girls 11-12 50 meter backstroke
• Lydia Lapierre - Member of the ninth place 15-18 girls 400 meter freestyle relay.
• Sibby Lowe - Fourth place in the girls 13-14 200 meter freestyle, fourth place in 400 meter IM, AAU national champion in 50 meter freestyle, sixth place in 200 meter IM, fourth place in 100 meter backstroke, and a member of the second place 400 meter medley relay and second place 400 meter freestyle relay.
• Thalia Marquez - Sixth place in the girls 15-18 1500 meter freestyle, 14th place in the 200 meter freestyle, 11th place in the 400 meter IM, 12th place in the 400 meter freestyle, and a member of the sixth place 400 meter medley relay.
• Faye Mooney - 6th place in the 15-18 200 meter breaststroke, 14th place in the 50 meter freestyle, 15th place in the 400 meter freestyle and a member of the sixth place 400 Medley Relay and fifth place 400 freestyle relay.
• Allison O'Brien - 12th place in the girls 15-18 400 meter IM, 13th place in the 200 meter IM, sixth place in the 100 meter backstroke and a member of the fifth place 400 freestyle relay.
• Grace Shelhamer - Member of the 15-18 girls 400 Medley relay that placed sixth.
• DeLaney Woodhouse - Member of the ninth place 15-18 girls 400 freestyle relay team.
Highlights from the final part of the competition include:
• 15-18 Girls 200 meter Medley Relay B team took fifth place - 2:17.47 - Allannah Klemann, Faye Mooney, Grace Shelhamer and Allison O'Brien.
• 13-14 Girls 200 meter Medley Relay won the 200 meter Medley relay - 2:17.04 - Kaitlyn Thompson, Claire Krueger, Sibby Lowe and Arianna Kuznia.
• 15-18 Girls 200 meter Freestyle Relay took second place 1:55.32 - Kennidi TenEyck, Ilah Jefferies, Faye Mooney and Chloe Giovannoni.
• 15-18 Girls 200 meter Freestyle Relay took sixth place 2:00.04 - Ashley Konz, Allison O'Brien, Alannah Klemann and Thalia Marquez.
• 13-14 Girls 200 meter Freestyle relay took first place 2:01.06 - Arianna Kuznia, Kaitlyn Thompson, Claire Krueger and Sibby Lowe.
While the results are final, Westervelt said that a complete list of results was still not available as of press time.