As they take on state’s best, Castillos show support for each other
Young siblings place high for Maui Swim Club
KIHEI — As 12-year-old Ava Castillo accepted her gold medal at the Hawaii State Age Group Long Course Championships on Friday morning at Kihei Aquatic Center, 10-year-old Logan Castillo cheered.
The sister and brother who compete for Maui Swim Club support each other in and outside of the pool. On the second day of the state meet, Ava Castillo took the top of the podium in the girls 11-12 200meter breaststroke.
“I kind of feel shocked because before my race, I was nervous, and didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself because I saw everybody else’s (seed) times,” she said before receiving her medal. “I usually have to strategize for these types of events that I’m ranked super high in.”
Ava Castillo said her plan was to pace the first two laps, build speed in the third and then finish strong on the last lap. Sticking to her strategy led to a time of 3 minutes, 40.78 seconds.
“I think she did really well, she actually dropped a lot of time, which I was really thrilled about,” MSC coach Kiki Matsumoto said. “She’s just a really good kid and has a good depth of character … great to work with, very responsive when I give her instruction.”
Once she shook off the nerves, Ava Castillo came back in the afternoon to place sixth in the 50 breaststroke as well as help MSC place eighth in the 400 medley relay.
Logan Castillo raced in the boys 10-and-under division in the 50 butterfly.
“I’m pretty proud of it because I got fourth place,” he said of his 50 fly. “I really like the 100 breaststroke too because it doesn’t require as much energy.”
Logan Castillo also placed fifth in the 100 backstroke.
The Castillo siblings have been swimming with Maui Swim Club for half their lives, and together they share their passion for swimming at practice and in competitions.
“I think (Logan) is doing awesome, I have a lot of faith in him,” Ava Castillo said. “At practice we usually swim in separate lanes, but I’ll swim in the one next to him so I can see what he’s doing and give him advice.”
As the state championship meet got into full swing Friday afternoon, Jordynn Brown of Hawaii Swim Club captured silver in the girls 15-18 200 free with a time of 2:10.45. Maui Swim Club’s Kaimi Matsumoto (2:11.01) placed third.
“Considering the training I’ve been doing, I think I did pretty good,” said Brown, who finished 1.73 seconds behind Kamehameha Swim Club’s Mari Yasumi. “It hurt a lot but I just wanted to finish it strong, so I just went out there and I raced. I think I gave it all I got today.”
Brown also finished third in the 100 breaststroke, which she said was unexpected.
“I didn’t even know I was doing it until the last second,” she said. “I was eighth place and then I was third.”
After states, Brown hopes to compete in her first USA Swimming Futures Championship, Aug. 1-4 in Oregon, before starting her junior year at Maui High School.
But first, she has to race and submit qualifying times in a few events, including the 400 free.
“My hope is to make my Future cut which is a 4:28, I believe, so I just want to go out there (Sunday) and work it,” she said. “That’s my goal. … I just want to drop my time in the 400 free.
“I feel like my 400 free has been doing really well, so that’s the one I want to swim at Futures, so if I make that time, that would be pretty awesome.”