Aspen High swimmers sweep home meet
The Aspen High School girls swim team — outnumbered by 2 to 1 — ignored the odds.
The Skiers won the four-tam Aspen Invitational last weekend at the ARC pool.
The relay team of Kelcie Gerson, Kennidy Quist, Kelli Callahan and Lelia Arthur opened the meet by winning the 200-medley relay and qualifying for the State Swimming and Diving Championships in the process.
Each swimmer handily won her individual events, according to head coach Kathleen Callahan.
Kelli Callahan won the 200 individual medley and also posted a state-qualifying time in the event.
Gerson won the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke, also posting state times.
Freshman Quist won the 50 and 100 freestyle races. She also qualified for the state championships in each event.
“I am honored to once again coach my own daughter and this amazing group of girls,” Kathleen Callahan said. “They knew they were outnumbered, but they all brought great swims to be able to beat the other three teams.
“These three girls are such strong swimmers, we are in an enviable position of having the luxury of Callahan, Gerson and Quist being able to choose which event they would like to swim at states,” the Aspen swim coach said.
The others girls on the team also had stellar races, with every girl achieving best times.
They were led by freshman Arthur who finished third in the 100 free and fifth in the 100 backstroke.
Senior Abbie Clark finished ninth in the 200 free and 10th in the 200 free.
Senior Joanna Ospina finished 12th in the 50 free and 13th in the 100 free.
Sophomore Crisitina Ramos posted a seventh in the 100 breast and a 15th in the 50 free.
“These two girls (Ramos and Ospina) have never swam before, and they are becoming very competitive and turning in great results,” coach Callahan said.
“With a team this small, we weren’t planning on winning many meets. But with the team spirit and competitiveness of these girls, anything is possible,” she said.
