The REPORTER
After two days of swimming at the Phillips 66 National Championships, Carmel swimmers are making their presence known.
The meet is taking place at the IU Natatorium in downtown Indianapolis, a familiar place for Carmel. Alex Shackell won several events at the IHSAA girls state finals in February, and she already has accumulated two top five finishes over the past two days. Shackell took fifth in Tuesday’s women’s 200 butterfly, clocking in at 2 minutes, 8.18 seconds. Shackell was also fifth in the 200 freestyle, which she swam Wednesday in a time of 1:56.70. Also on Tuesday, Shackell was seventh in the “B” final of the 100 freestyle, finishing that race in 54.57 seconds.
The top finishes among local swimmers came from Carmel’s Olympian, Drew Kibler. He placed third in the men’s 200 free on Tuesday, swimming that event in 1:45.75. Kibler also took eighth in the 100 free, with a time of 48.42 seconds.
Kelly Pash, a former Carmel swimmer who just completed her senior year at the University of Texas, placed fourth in the 200 butterfly, clocking in at 2:08.13.
Jo Jo Ramey, a Fishers graduate soon to be at the University of Florida, took eighth in the women’s 200 backstroke with a time of 2:10.58. Lynsey Bowen, a junior-to-be at Carmel, finished 18th in the 800 free (8:40.51).
Three more swimmers competed in consolation heats. Aaron Shackell, recently graduated from Carmel and headed to the University of California, won the “B” final in the men’s 200 butterfly by .01 seconds. His time was 1:55.92. Shackell also took fifth in the men’s 200 free “B” final with a time of 1:47.29.
Carmel incoming sophomore Molly Sweeney placed second in the women’s 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:28.20. Another Carmel graduate, Wyatt Davis, took second in the “C” final of the men’s 200 backstroke with a time of 1:59.23. Davis just finished his junior season at the University of Michigan.
Swimming continues today at the Natatorium with heats and finals for both the women and men in the 400 medley, 100 butterfly, 50 breaststroke and 50 backstroke.