Long Course State!

SWAMIs Excited to Represent at Annual LC State Meet

ROSE PARK — As the hot summer days wan and give way to the back-to-school sales season, it also means the annual Utah Long Course State meet is upon us as the famed meet is set to begin Wednesday, August 1. The meet runs through Saturday, August 4th.

It's been a year since Race Swami made it's official debut in the USA Swimming-sponsored meet held at the Kearns Oquirrh pool tucked away in the west valley hamlet. Last year SWAMI finished in the top 15 and set the stage for what would be an epic year of growth.

Back then there were no more than 20 SWAMIs—on the entire team! Now the club is breaking towards 70 swimmers and counting. The challenge now will be to develop these athletes so the team will show it's growth at a meet like this.But for this year, there will still be under 20 swimmers representing the westside neighborhood club at this week's epic meet. Leading the way will be Seamus Appel and Amelia Wolfgramm in the senior division, along with Zerin Wolfgramm, Fanetupou Wolfgramm, and Peyton Ledbetter representing the younger divisions. For Peyton, this will be her first meet in the 11-12 girls division, as she aged up on July 29.

"I'm still totally excited for this meet even though I'll be one of the youngest in my age group," Peyton said. "We're all ready to race!"

Race Swami will be missing a couple of integral components to their arsenal at the State meet, as Alandra McDowell and sister Blaire, have moved to Perth, Australia with their parents. However, SWAMI adds a couple of siblings in Connor Morgan and sister Erin, who are primed to have a good meet this week. 

"I'll be one of the younger 15 and ups," Connor noted, "but I'm okay with that. I swam a competitive high school season this past year as a 14 year old, so it's not like this is new to me. I'm hoping to make some finals."

Two more swimming siblings—Madison Guitard (13-14) and Mayley Guitard (10-un)—will be swimming for Race Swami as "unattached" since they haven't been with the club for the requisite 120 days.

There will also be some relays represented by Race Swami this year, with the 11-12 girls division being entered for the first time in its short history. For two 12 year olds—Isabella Zamora and Maria Fregosa—it will be the first State meet in their lifetimes. "We're so excited we have an 11-12 relay," Peyton said. "The first swim of my state career was a relay two years ago in 10-unders... it was so fun and it fueled my desire to get better so I could swim in individual events too. Hopefully the same thing will happen to Izzy and Maria. I bet it will."

For Seamus Appel, this will be his last meet with Swami until next summer, as he prepares to move on to Denison University to swim for the Big Red, the top Division 3 program in the nation. "I'm excited for the college season but will certainly miss my teammates here," said Seamus. "It's been a great run here and at Judge, but as my coach told me—it's a good time for me to move on to the next level. I'm definitely up for the challenge."

This article contributed by Franklin L. Belushi