Cary – Due to some issues with pool time since the turn of the New Year, Tri-County Early College junior Ariana Rivas was just looking to compete at the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A/2A West Regional championships and see what happens.
She didn’t feel great after her swims in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly, but her mom told her soon after that she qualified for the 1A/2A state meet.
“Whenever my mom told me I made it I was in the car and I was kind of sleepy, half asleep,” Rivas said. “I didn’t really believe it.”
To qualify for the state championships, you have to finish top six in one of the three regions, or be one of the six next fastest swimmers in the event. Rivas finished 11th in the 50 free (26.94 seconds) and eighth in the 100 butterfly (1 minute, 7.52 seconds) at regionals, but was one of the next six fastest swimmers across the three regions in both events.
During the state championship at the Triangle Aquatic Center on Thursday, Rivas qualified for finals in the 50 free in a time of 26.59, and finished 15th in a time of 26.67. She finished 22nd in the 100 butterfly in a time of 1:08.46.
Frank Bachteler, who coaches swimming in Cherokee County, said he had Rivas’ road to the state meet mapped out since practice started in November. Things were going swimmingly until winter break. Due to the record cold, the pool heater broke at Murphy Health & Fitness Center, where the team practices.
“The freeze came in, and that cancelled everything,” Bachteler said. “And we almost had to start over.”
Swimmers at Tri-County and Murphy had to drive to Franklin to practice Monday and Tuesday, and did dry land, which are out-of-the-water exercises that help lead to better performances in the water from Wednesday through Friday.
But Rivas persevered. When she realized she had a legitimate chance to go to states, Bachteler said her effort improved.
Before, she didn’t seem to be all in. It helped though, that she was technically sound in her strokes, something she learned while living in New Jersey before moving to Cherokee County in 2016.
“She learned at a young age from a good instructor,” Bachteler said. “Knock on wood, I didn’t do anything. Her
basic background and mechanics are excellent.”
Even with the challenges to get to states, this season was still more fun than last year, Rivas said. Numbers were up for swimming across the county, giving Rivas a chance to enjoy the team part of the sport. Though only two Tri-County swimmers competed in individual events at regionals, 10 others competed in relays.
“It was definitely a different environment for me,” Rivas said. “A lot more enjoyable.”