Wrangell swimmers Nikolai Siekawitch, Jack Roberts and Renee Roberts participate at the Alaska Junior Olympics in Anchorage last weekend. For all three athletes, it was their second visit to the big meet.
Three athletes from Wrangell Swim Club competed with 450 other swimmers from around the state last weekend, participating at the Alaska Junior Olympics in Anchorage.
Coach Jamie Roberts reported it was the second time Nikolai Siekawitch and siblings Jack and Renee Roberts have participated at the event, among the state's premier annual swimming competitions.
"All three swimmers had great races, got to see old friends and make a few new ones, spent time with family, and had some fun adventures in Anchorage," the coach said. "This was also an opportunity to prove to themselves that when you show up to practice every day and do the hard work, you see the awesome results."
During the meet, Jack Roberts earned fourth place in the 100-yard butterfly, with a time of 1:10.72. He took fifth in the 50-yard butterfly as well, seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke and ninth in the individual medley. He made four personal best times and met a personal goal of swimming the 50-yard butterfly in under 30 seconds.
Renee Roberts had a personal best of her own, and met a goal of finishing in the top 10 in the 100-yard backstroke, placing fifth with a time of 1:05.82. She also took two 12th place finishes, in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly, and a pair of 13th place finishes.
Siekawitch earned two personal bests in the competition, and swam the 100-yard freestyle in 56.99, which Roberts explained was "impressively fast." He took 14th in that competition, and finished the 400-yard individual medley in 10th with a time of 5:09.05. He completed the 50-yard freestyle in 12th place, and took another 14th place for the 100-yard backstroke.
"Oftentimes, the difference between first and 20th is such a small amount of time," the coach noted, "such as three to four seconds in a 50-yard race. So what I am really looking for as a coach is whether they executed all the mechanics and race strategies that they have been working on in practice, in the months leading up to the meet. Meets are opportunities to test your training and see how you can take it up a notch for the next meet."
The club's next activity will be the annual summer swim camp in Craig, which 10 Wrangell athletes plan to attend.
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