By Staff
STROKE n Meridian's Kayla Sims leads off a relay event with the back stroke during Saturday's State Games action. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star.
By Cassie Chance/Special to The Star
June 17, 2001
Meridian's Jacob Gray may only be 11 years old. But if his performance at this year's State Games swimming competition is any indication, Gray certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
Gray picked up five first place finishes on Saturday at Highland Park, and Meridian's Holly Corbitt also picked up five gold medals of her own.
The Meridian Swim Association brought home a combined total of 15 first place finishes. Tupelo Swim Association also picked up 13 first place finishes en route to an overall score of 96.
Tupelo got their first gold medal from six-year old Rachel Wilson, who won the girls' 8-&-under 50-meter freestyle with a time of 57.45 seconds. Wilson also won the 50-meter butterfly.
Eli Jones' time of 1:03.56 won the 8 &under boys' 50-meter freestyle. Jones also won the boys' 8-&-under 50-meter backstroke and the boys' 50-meter breastroke.
In the girls' 11-&-12 year old 50-meter backstroke, Tupelo won another gold medal with Amy Roberts' 49.67 second performance. Betsy Paulk captured the girls' 15-&-16 year-old 200-meter backstroke title. Catherine Holman won the girls' 8 &under 50-meter backstroke title with a time of 1:09.53. Holman also captured the 50-meter breastroke title. In the 15-&-16-year-old boys' 400-meter freestyle, Austin Cadden's time of 4:51.66 won the gold medal. Cadden also won the 50-meter freestyle. Jordan Jaggers won the girls' 9-&-10-year-old 50-meter breastroke. Tupelo's 200-meter medley relay team won the girls' 8 &under title.
Meridian's top finishers included Gray's first place finishes in the 11-&-12-year-old boys 50-meter freestyle with a time of 33.15 seconds, the 50-meter backstroke with a time of 40.75 seconds, and a 44.97 second performance to win the 50-meter backstroke. Gray also captured the 400-meter freestyle title in 5:14.52 and the 50-meter butterfly in 35.12.
Corbitt won the 11-&-12-year-old girls 50-meter freestyle with a time of 33.16, the 50-meter backstroke, the 400-meter freestyle, and the 50-meter butterfly in 37.94 seconds. She also finished the 50-meter breastroke in 43.94 to take first place honors. Christie Vaughn's time of 31.33 won the girls' 13-&-14-year-old 50-meter freestyle. Vaughn also won the 200-meter breastroke. Michael Gray finished the boys' 17-&-over 200-meter backstroke in 2:34.71 to take the gold medal. He also won the 50-meter freestyle.
MSA also picked up three relay titles , winning the girls' 8 &under 200-meter medley relay, the girls' 400-meter medley relay, and the boys' 400-meter medley relay.
Sunkist picked up several first place finishes also. Timothy Dasinger won the the 9-&-10-year-old boys' 50-meter freestyle, the 50-meter backstroke, and the 50-meter butterfly. John Dasinger also won the 13-&-14-year-old boys' 50-meter freestyle, 200-meter backstroke, and 400-meter freestyle. Dan Dasinger won the boys' 17 &over 200-meter butterfly and 400-meter freestyle.
South Mississippi Surf Swim won gold medals from Krisitn Balius' 32.21 second performance in the 15 &16 year old girls' 50-meter freestyle. Balius also won the 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter breastroke, and 400-meter freestyle.
Other first place finishers include Rebecca Bernheim in the 9 &10 year old girls' 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter backstroke, and 50-meter butterfly. Ryan Sims of Laura Swim Association won the 15 &16 year old boys' 200-meter backstroke and 200-meter breastroke.