Maxime Rooney & Friends Honored at Pacific Awards…..Swimmers and coaches from throughout the Pacific LSC gathered in Milpitas, California on October 10th for the annual Pacific Swimming Awards Banquet. With Olympian Natalie Coughlin as the special guest speaker, Pleasanton Seahawk coach Steve Morsilli was awarded ‘Senior Group Coach of the Year’, while 14-year-old Christopher Jhong received the ‘Outstanding Short Course’ award for his age group. Additionally, Moriah Simonds received the ‘Outstanding Short Course’ award for her Pacific Record-breaking 1000 free swim performed at Winter Sectional. Maxime Rooney was the ‘Outstanding Short Course’ and’ Long Course Award’ winner, while also snagging ‘Race of the Year’ for his 200m freestyle race at U.S. Summer Nationals. Rooney also earned ‘Swimmer of the Year’ for his many accolades throughout the season, including winning the 200m freestyle at World Junior Championships, earning the 100m freestyle at Summer Junior Nationals, and also being named to the Senior Men’s National Team. Pacific Swimming is the third largest of USA Swimming’s 59 regional associations, it is made up of 120 swim clubs and more than 16,000 swimmers.
Malapitan Breaks Philippines Swimming Record…..Rio Lorenzo Malapitan from Mindoro, broke the boys’ 50m breaststroke record while competing at the 85th Philippine Swimming League (PSL) National Series, also known as the All-School Challenge. Malapitan’s time of 37.46 surpassed the old mark of 38.18 held by McTracy Alindogan since 2012. Malapitan would go on to also claim gold in the 50m free and 50m butterfly at the National Series.
Alexander Lucy Hired as West Fargo Head Coach…..Former coach of Bismarck High School’s boys and girls swimming and diving teams, as well as the Aquastorm Swim Club, Alexander Lucy, has been announced as the new coach of the West Fargo Flyers in West Fargo, North Dakota. Of his new post, Lucy says, “I’m very excited to be a part of a swim club with such a long and accomplished history and with a great group of families. I look forward to working with the Flyer athletes to help them reach their personal and team goals, while pushing them through obstacles they did not know they could overcome in a fun team environment.” Lucy is native of Minot, N.D., and attended Bismarck State College.