UPDATE: Rochester’s top swimmers are making headlines today as they gear up for the Class 2A swimming and diving finals at the Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis at 6 p.m. on July 15, 2023. After a strong showing in the preliminaries, teams from Rochester Century, Mayo, and John Marshall are poised to compete against Minnesota’s elite.
In a thrilling start to the state meet, Mayo’s 200-yard medley relay team of Elise Weingarten, Corrina Tonn, Madeline Gau, and Penelope Hauser secured a spot in the championship finals with an impressive time of 1:48.53, finishing eighth overall. This performance places them among the best in the state, and their eyes are set on the title tonight.
The stakes are high as the top eight finishers from the preliminaries advance to the finals. Teams finishing between ninth and sixteenth will compete in consolation finals, giving them a chance to earn All-State honors. Century’s relay team, featuring JiaYin Jian-Gross, Sophie Blixt, Chloe Magnuson, and Sarah Homme, narrowly missed the finals, finishing ninth in the prelims at 1:49.10. They will compete in the consolation finals alongside John Marshall’s team, which placed twelfth with a time of 1:49.98.
In individual events, Julia Ogren from John Marshall is a standout athlete, winning the preliminary heat in the 100-yard butterfly with a blistering time of 53.88. She will vie for the championship title tonight, joined by Mayo’s Sophie Blixt, who placed second in the same event with a time of 55.70, and Gau, finishing sixth at 56.86.
Ogren is also set to compete for a championship in the 100-yard freestyle after finishing sixth in prelims at 51.95. Meanwhile, Magnuson tied for sixteenth place in the same event but was edged out in a swim-off against Wayzata’s Brynn McNanley despite achieving a personal best time.
The competition continues to heat up with Mayo’s 200-yard freestyle relay team finishing fourth in preliminaries at 1:38.05, while John Marshall’s relay followed closely, placing fifth at 1:38.32. Both teams will compete for state titles in the championship finals.
Weingarten will also swim in the championship final for the 100-yard backstroke after securing eighth place in prelims with a time of 57.83. Gau, who finished just behind in tenth at 57.95, will head to the consolation final.
In a pivotal moment, Blixt, who was state runner-up in the 100-yard breaststroke last year, finished second in the prelims with a time of 1:04.37. She is expected to challenge Logan Havermann of East Ridge, who clocked 1:03.91 in prelims.
As the excitement builds for the finals, Rochester’s swimmers are not just competing for titles, but for pride and recognition on a state level. The Class 1A swimming and diving championships also take place at noon today at the same venue, featuring notable competitors like Gracie Greenman from Austin, who will swim for a state title in the 100-yard backstroke after a strong prelim finish.
Fans, families, and supporters are eagerly anticipating the outcomes as these talented athletes gear up to leave it all in the pool. The finals promise to be an event filled with high stakes and remarkable performances, showcasing the best of Minnesota high school swimming and diving.
