Ash Finnell

Athlete of the Week: Ash Finnell

Last weekend, at the Imperial Valley Swim League finals in Yuma, the area’s top young aquatic athletes went at one another head to head for the final time this summer.

With 60 races divvyed up by stroke, age group and gender, there were plenty of opportunities to wind up a winner, but — as is always the case — some competitors had better days than others.

Swimmers who accumulated the most meet points in their division — based on their finishes across all five of their races (with points being awarded for top 10 finishes) — earned themselves an appropriately named “High Point” trophy.

Of the meet’s 12 individual High Pointers Ash Finnell was one of the youngest.

He took the boys 6-and-under trophy, winning the 25-yard backstroke, the 50-yard freestyle, the 25-yard breaststroke and the 25-yard freestyle.

Finnell did less well in the 25yard butterfly, taking seventh there, but his excellent showings in the other races were enough to push him over the top.

His favorite race is the backstroke, which he likes because, as he says, “you don’t have to [worry about] breathing” so much.

Despite his affinity for the backstroke, it was in the 50-yard freestyle in which he clocked his fastest time relative to his competition, demonstrating his superior endurance by coming in 11 seconds ahead of the silver medalist.

Finnell is already looking forward to next season and is excited to be moving up into the 7-to-8-year-old division.

My favorites

Athlete — “My friend Evan” School subject — Math TV show — “Raven’s Home” Outdoor activity — Fishing Video game — Fortnite Song — “Sunflower,” by Post Malone and Swae Lee What do you enjoy most about your sport? “You get to stay in the water when it’s hot out.” Why did you decide to try your sport? “Because it’s the best thing to do to get strength.” Who inspires you? “Coach Kat, Coach Jennifer, Joseph, Jordan and Trent.” What are your goals for next season? “To do better than the big kids.”