Sullivan, T-Birds take third

SWIMMING: Tumwater’s Abby Sullivan rebounds to win 100, 200 free

JENNIFER CHANCELLOR; For The Olympian | • Published November 08, 2009

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There’s nothing like a little friendly competition – whether it comes from a twin sister, or a fellow freshman with the same first name.

That was the case Saturday at the WIAA District IV 2A Girls Swim Championships at The Evergreen State College. Aberdeen beat out 10 other schools to take first place, but for other swimmers, winning was a more personal matter.

After a shaky performance in Friday’s preliminaries, Tumwater’s Abby Sullivan won the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute, 58.81 seconds, helping her school to a third-place finish.

“I knew what was coming, and who to look for,” she said about her finals effort. “I didn’t want anyone to catch me.”

Sullivan, who also won the 100 freestyle in 54.26, beat Centralia freshman Abigail Messegee.

“We’re friends out of the water, but we’re really competitive in the water,” she said. “It’s cool to be able to talk about our times, and the competition will continue at state.”

Finishing in 2:00.85 didn’t seem to bother Messegee too much. She later took top spot on the podium for her 5:21.49 win in the 500 freestyle.

River Ridge sophomore Kiana Sullenberger wasn’t satisfied with winning the 50 freestyle in 25.78.

“Now I just want to beat my sister in the 100 breast,” she said.

But her twin, Shanell, clearly had the same idea.

From the next lane over, she claimed first place in 1:07.63 – just faster than Kianna, who finished in 1:07.78.

River Ridge senior Asha Srivastava, a two-time state champion, won the diving event with 375.30. Tumwater freshman Taylor Napoleon was second with 281.50.

Rams place third

North Thurston finished third at the West Central District III swim meet, which concluded Saturday at Hazen High School.

The Rams will take all three relays and four individuals to state, which starts Thursday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

North Thurston edged Capital, which finished fourth.

The Rams will send Katy Tiernan, who took fourth in the 50 and 100 free, Bre Schwartz (fifth, 200 IM), Sam Anders (fifth, 500 free) and Arraya Haden (sixth, 100 butterfly) to state as individuals.

Led by Amanda Clark’s second-place finishes in the 200 and 500 free, Capital finished in fourth with 132 points and will send four individuals and two relays to the state meet.

Katrina Shellman (200 free, 500 free), Hansi Willoughby (100 free, 100 backstroke) and Michelle Cordell (500 free) were Capital’s other state qualifiers.