The West Haven Swim Club opened its 2022-2023 season with a win over the Oxford Otter, 322-248 on Nov. 12. The team took first place in 32 of the 64 individual events and 10 out of the 16 relays over Oxford. Although swimmers raced all four strokes, the most competitive races included a very close finish to first by 2 seconds for the 11/12 girls 200-yard medley with Vanessa Chen, Naomi Shubin, Sophia DeLauri and Aubrey Holthaus.
Joshua Mutonji, Dylan Fitzpatrick and Zayn Ahmed-Dhillon took top spots for the 8U boys’ 25-yard freestyle, while Gabriel Gyurkovics won the 9/10 boys’ 100-yard freestyle. Joseph Lahav swam to first place out of a large group of 13-and-over boys for 100-yard freestyle, while Amanda Fagnani won for the 15-and-over girls. The 8U Westie swimmers took first place for the girls, with Maddy Lis,i and boys with Michael Meglio. For the 50-yard butterfly event, Blake Carr swept number one for the 11/12 boys and Gianna Cassone for 13/14 girls. The 200-yard freestyle saw West Haven win all four events: Austin Carr for the 11/12 boys, Hayden Holthaus for 13/14 girls, Joseph Lahav for 13 & over boys, and Amanda Fagnani for 15 & over girls. Moving onto backstroke, Winter Valdivieso and Nicholas Carrasco won first for the 25-yard race for 8U girls and boys, respectively. Vanessa Chen (50 yards for 11/12 girls) and Gianna Cassone (100 yards for 13/14 girls) won their individual backstroke events.
The team won most of the individual medley events with Camryn Holthaus (8 U girls), Michael Meglio (8U boys) and Gabriel Gyurkovics (9/10 boys) for the 100-yard event followed by Gianna Cassone (13/14 girls) for 200 yards. For breaststroke, Camryn Holthaus (girls) and Blaise Shubin (boys) won for 8U for 25 yards, Gwen Faoro (girls) and Gabriel Gyurkovics (boys) for 9/10s for 50 yards, Naomi Shubin (girls) and Julian Gyurkovics (boys) for 11/12s for 50 yards, and Ivanka Ortiz Rolon for 13/14 girls and Alex Shubin for 13-and-over boys for 100 yards. The 50-yard freestyle event is an all-out sprint. Maddy Lisi and Dylan Fitzpatrick beat the field for the 8U girls and boys, respectively, followed by a win for Blake Carr for 9/10 boys and Amanda Fagnani for 15-and-over girls. The team finished strong with wins in the freestyle relays.
For more information on the West Haven Swim Club, visit westhavenswimclub.org.