Rochester Teams Surge in Girls State Swimming Finals This Weekend

UPDATE: Rochester’s top swimming talent is set to shine in the Class 2A girls swimming finals this Saturday at the Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis. The excitement builds as local teams from Rochester Century, Mayo, and John Marshall make their mark against the state’s elite.

Earlier today, Mayo’s 200-yard medley relay team comprised of Elise Weingarten, Corrina Tonn, Madeline Gau, and Penelope Hauser clinched eighth place in the preliminaries with a time of 1:48.53, securing their spot in the championship finals scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday. The top eight finishers from today advanced, and the pressure is on for the finals as these talented athletes aim for All-State honors.

Rochester Century’s relay team, featuring JiaYin Jian-Gross, Sophie Blixt, Chloe Magnuson, and Sarah Homme, faced a narrow miss, finishing ninth at 1:49.10. They will swim in the consolation finals alongside John Marshall’s team, who placed 12th with a time of 1:49.98. The stakes are high, with only the best competing for top honors.

In individual events, the spotlight shines on John Marshall’s Julia Ogren, who dominated the prelims for the 100-yard butterfly with a stunning time of 53.88. She will compete for a state title on Saturday, joined by Mayo’s Blixt, who secured second place at 55.70, and Gau, finishing sixth at 56.86. Ogren is also set to race in the 100-yard freestyle, having qualified sixth with a time of 51.95.

In the 50-yard freestyle, Magnuson and Tri put forth strong efforts, finishing 11th and 12th, respectively, with times of 24.24 and 24.26. The competition was fierce, leading to a tie for 16th between Magnuson and Wayzata’s Brynn McNanley, resulting in a swim-off to determine the consolation finalist.

Mayo’s relay teams also performed admirably, with a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay at 1:38.05, closely followed by John Marshall’s team at 1:38.32. Both teams will compete in the championship finals, adding to the excitement for Rochester fans.

Blixt continues to impress, clocking in at 1:04.37 for the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing second in the prelims. She was last year’s state runner-up and is determined to reclaim her title. In the same event, Tonn and Tri faced challenges, finishing 19th and 23rd, respectively, in the prelims.

The Class 1A diving prelims and semifinals took place Thursday. Notable performances include Austin’s Gracie Greenman, who is poised for a state title in the 100 back after finishing third in prelims at 57.97.

As the competition heats up, all eyes will be on these athletes during the finals. The Class 2A swimming and diving championships commence on Saturday, with the top eight finishers earning All-State honors. Fans are encouraged to rally behind their local teams as they vie for glory in the pool.

Stay tuned for updates on all the action as it unfolds at the Freeman Aquatic Center! Rochester is ready to make waves!