AUSTIN — A year ago, then-junior Maximus Williamson walked out of the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center with two individual national records and helped two relay teams do the same.
It’s been a “rebuild” since then for Keller after graduating key pieces of those relay teams, Williamson said. But back at the University of Texas campus on Friday morning for the UIL 6A Swimming & Diving State Championship, Williamson picked up just how he left off in the Texas Swimming Center water last February.
Related:Swimmers to watch at UIL state meet, including phenom who broke a Michael Phelps record
He set a national mark for the 200 freestyle of 1:32.63, five one-hundredths of a second faster than the previous time to beat.
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“I didn’t know how I was going to feel,” Williamson said. “I knew I had a chance. My best time is a little faster than what I went, but it’s okay, there’s always room to improve.”
Keller is positioned well for both a three-peat on the boys side and potentially a sweep of the 6A titles.
Keller set the fastest preliminary times in all three boys relays and two of the three girls relays. The girls also locked in the top three preliminary 100 breaststroke times while the boys raced themselves into all but two of Saturday’s individual championship finals.
Southlake Carroll girls in the mix
Southlake Carroll senior Marin Clem clinched a return to the final of the event she’s won the past two years, the 6A girls 100 freestyle. She’ll also race the 50 freestyle final, a competition in which she has finished on the podium before but never won.
Clem and her teammates will have a chance to regain the 6A title on Saturday for the first time since 2022.
They qualified swimmers in two of the three relays – despite junior Sydney Klopfenstein fighting through a shoulder injury – and five individual races.
“These are genuinely some of my best friends,” Clem said of her relay partners. “I’ve grown up with them. Two of them I got a [national age-group] record when we were 13-14. I love them, and I couldn’t ask for a better atmosphere in that sense.”
Timberview diver in command
Daniel Henry’s Mansfield Timberview teammate Oscar Preas was the favorite for the boys 5A state one-meter diving competition before suffering a hand injury earlier this week.
In Preas’ absence, Henry built a nearly 45-point lead on Friday evening. Henry said he felt a little “nervous” coming into the event but managed to “lock in” pretty fast.
“I’m going to text him, say that he should be here today, but I’m just trying to not put that in my head too much,” Henry said.
The points will carry over, but Henry said his mindset for Saturday’s final is: “It’s zeroes. Whole new meet.”
Carroll diver battles back
Southlake Carroll diver Jack Ma only managed one-and-a-half practices before the regional meet because of an illness, he said.
The week after regionals, he slipped on the board in practice and cut his ankle before getting sick again.
Still, he finished the preliminary round in second place, just under seven points behind Keller Timber Creek’s Owen Wall.
“I was surprised I did as good as I did [today],” Ma said.
Wall said he “felt great” as he secured the lead going into the final rounds in his first appearance at the state tournament. He’ll start Saturday with three of his hardest dives, he said.
“It’s been so fun,” Wall said. “I really want to win. I have that mindset right now. Hoping to hit these last three dives. I try not to think about it too much.”
5A girls divers’ tight battle
The top three girls 5A divers ended Friday’s preliminary round separated by fewer than three points but held a double-digit lead on the rest of the competition. Lovejoy senior Maria Faoro – a two-time state champion – and Frisco Lone Star freshman Ellyette Kohlschmidt trail A&M Consolidated’s Eve Nelson heading into Saturday’s finale, which will be added to the scores from Friday.
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Publish date : 2025-02-21 17:29:00
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