High school swimmers prep for states after successful showings
As the postseason nears, local swimmers are hoping to make a splash at the Florida High School Athletic Association state swimming and diving meet in Stuart in November.
Cooper City’s Kathleen Golding and Davie’s Patrick Groters are fresh off outstanding swims at recent competitions and are gearing for gold in Martin County.
Golding, a junior at Cooper City High School, is hoping to take a third straight Class 4A state title in the 200-yard individual medley on Nov. 10, while Groters, a senior at University School, is hoping to defend his 100-yard backstroke championship in the Class 1A competition on Nov. 4.
Golding, who was recently picked for USA Swimming’s National Select Camp, broke two Broward County Athletic Association records in the 200-yard IM (2:02.93) and 100-yard freestyle (51.40) at the BCAA Swimming and Diving Championships at the Plantation Aquatic Complex at Central Park.
“I just went out and raced as fast as I can,” said Golding, who turned 17 on Oct. 11. “It was really promising because we are kind of at midseason now, so it looks good for states and [hopefully] I will be able to go even faster.”
Groters 200-yard IM won (1:51.43) the and the 100-yard backstroke (51.77) in the Woodson Invitational at the Pine Crest School pool in Fort Lauderdale earlier this season. His performance helped him win the meet’s Andy Coan Award for the meet’s top male swimmer. He also won the award in his sophomore year.
“Winning this award was definitely one of my goals,” said Groters, who said he hopes to name his college destination after the state meet. “It’s pretty big because it is not very common” to win the award twice.
“With the hurricane, I just wanted to see where I was with the practices,” added Groters, who won the 100-yard backstroke (49.19) and took second place in the 200-yard IM (1:48.52) at the Class 1A state meet last year and represented Aruba in the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships this past summer. Groters broke his own national record in the 100-yard backstroke (57.02), good for 17th-best in the world.
“I had a few days off [during the hurricane], so I am still building up for states,” Groters said. “Hopefully at states I’ll be ready. [The Woodson Invitational] showed me no matter what happens, like with the hurricane interrupting my training, that I can still go out and perform at a high level.”
Sportscom5@aol.com — Patrick Groters, University School senior