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Malin wins 100-yard breaststroke
Senior Selah Smith excited to be back in competition and racing
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WILLIAMSBURG — As one of two seniors on the Williamsburg girls swimming team, Selah Smith was excited to get back into official competition.
The Raiders opened their season Thursday with a home triangular, finishing second with 54 team points.
“It feels really good to get back into the competitive season,” Selah Smith said after the team’s season-opener. “The races are my favorite part.”
A leadership role also comes with being one of two seniors; Selah was voted a team captain.
“Teaching people something I love a lot brings a lot of joy to me,” Selah Smith said on her leadership. “Seeing them succeed kind of boosts where I go. It’s more enjoyable than my own success to see them do well.”
It’s also the last season Selah will be a teammate of her younger sister, Shiloh, a sophomore.
“It’s my last season with my sister, and it’s really special to be able to do this with her,” Selah Smith said. “We’ve been dong this together since we were kids, and it has brought us closer.”
Both sisters competed in four events Thursday, highlighted by a runner-up finish from Selah in the 50-yard freestyle in 28.02.
Selah, a state qualifier in a team relay back in 2023, hopes to see improvement in her freestyle sprints this season.
“I would definitely say my freestyle sprint is where I want to improve most, more so in the 100,” Selah Smith said. “It’s a good distance for me.”
Newton won nine of 11 events in the triangular, but the Raiders did capture one event title.
Liahna Malin won the 100 breaststroke, finishing in 1:26.28.
A team filled predominately with underclassmen, the Raiders hope to improve throughout the season, using this meet as a starting point. With a lot of young bodies, there will be an emphasis on improving form and striving to be as efficient as possible.
“Hope to just see continued improvement and people pushing themselves past where they think they can go,” Selah Smith said. “I also want this team to be like a family, and I hope we can all become closer to each other as the season goes on.”
Team Scores
1. Newton 97, 2. Williamsburg 54, 3. Tipton 17
Winners and top Williamsburg finishers
200 medley relay — 1. Newton A, 2:00.57; 3. Williamsburg A (Rechkemmer, Malin, Wilkinson, O’Connell-Gabriel), 2:20.64
200 freestyle — Temple Barton (Newton), 2:08.60; 4. Shiloh Smith, 2:31.55
200 individual medley — 1. Mya Bodecker (Tipton), 2:33.47; 3. Liahna Malin, 2:56.63
50 freestyle — Harper Barton (Newton), 25.13; 2. Selah Smith, 28.02
100 butterfly — 1. Julia Nedder (Newton), 1:13.02; 2. Maddie Wilkinson, 1:22.33
100 freestyle — Harper Barton (Newton), 54.92; 4. Selah Smith, 1:01.83
500 freestyle — Reid McCloud (Newton), 5:38.11; 3. Shiloh Smith, 7:05.60
200 freestyle relay — 1. Newton A, 1:47.17; 2. Williamsburg B (Ridenour, Malin, Shiloh Smith, Montross), 2:11.93
100 backstroke — 1. Reid McCloud (Newton), 1:04.52; 5. Kayla Rechkemmer, 1:21.04
100 breaststroke — 1. Liahna Malin (Williamsburg), 1:26.28
400 freestyle relay — 1. Newton A, 4:15.28; 3. Williamsburg A (Selah Smith, Wilkinson, Shiloh Smith, Montross), 4:40.82
