Staples phenom shares more than just swimming bond with twin

The way Annam Olasewere tells the story she and her twin Ayaan started swimming when they were 18-months-old because the doctor recommended it.

“So we wouldn’t drown,” Annam said.

Dad and mom, Abdul and Ngassam, signed them up for lessons at the Chesterfield, Mo., Family YMCA. Their love of the water would grow to the point where they went two and three times a week.

“We were doing lessons one day when they were 61⁄2,” Ngassam said, “and they saw a bunch of kids going back and forth in lanes. They go, ‘What are they doing?’ We told them it was competitive swimming. They’re like, ‘We want to do that.’ ”

And wouldn’t you know it?

“They walked right over to the coach,” Ngassam said. “The coach said ‘yeah you can doggy-paddle from one end to the other.’ ”

On Wednesday night — seven years later — the freshman twins from Westport’s Staples High School did much more than doggypaddle, and Annam blew the doors off the Hutchison Natatorium at Southern Connecticut.

And when they were done they would explain this night was about more than swimming in a pool.

Annam set the state and FCIAC record with a 22.77 last week in the 50-yard freestyle. On this night, her time of 22.67 shattered the state, Class LL and pool record. She wasn’t nearly finished.

With a 50.14 in the 100 free, Annam broke the state record of 50.39 by Elizabeth McDonald of Pomperaug, the Class LL and the pool mark. The twins then spearheaded relay victories for Staples in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays. Ayaan finished sixth in the 50 and seventh in the 100.

Annam’s most satisfying of her performances?

“I’d say the 50,” she said. “My coach says none of the events are an all-out sprint, but the 50 (up and back in a 25-yard pool) is the closest to it. I love getting my events done quickly.

“Everyone thinks they are going to improve. I thought I’d improve, but I didn’t know I’d go this fast. My coach has helped me so much. My family, my captains, teammates push me to do better. Especially my twin.”

Coach Mike Anderson said he figures the 22.67 will rank Annam first nationally among 14-year-old girls.

“It’s still early and by the time everyone gets going, the California and Florida girls will be six months older, stronger and faster,” Anderson said. “But it should still end up in the top three.

“Annam started the season at 23.6 and she has dropped a full second. It’s astronomical. Swimming and track is roughly a 1 to 4 ratio. So the 50 is like a 200 in track. Imagine being a national caliber Division I girl and dropping a full