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SHAWN BYRNE/Miner
Alek Dunton of the Kingman Dolphins is ready to surface after completing a turn during backstroke practice at the Del Webb Wellness Center on Friday. Dunton and four other members of the team will be at the state meet that begins on Thursday. |
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KINGMAN - Five members of the Kingman Dolphins Swim Team will take their skills and talents to the Arizona Swimming 2009 Short Course Age Group State Championships, which begin on Thursday and runs until Sunday. The meet is sanctioned by USA Swimming, Inc.
Alexis Bathauer, 12, Alek Dunton, 10, Kael Juelfs, 9, Jacob Miyauchi, 11 and Patrick Tribbett, 14, will all represent the Dolphins at the meet. Interim coach Beth Mathe leads KDST, and has brought collegiate experience to the Dolphins. Mathe swam for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the freestyle distances and 200 butterfly. Mathe has been with the Dolphins since October, and she works at Palo Christi Elementary.
"We're looking really good," Mathe said. "We should be ready. We've been having really good times at practice."
The Dolphins had a sixth swimmer qualify for state, but Patrick Webb, 12, suffered a broken collarbone recently and won't be able to compete. Webb was able to reach the Far Western Regionals last year, and this season looked bright for him.
"I was playing football at recess," Patrick said. "It wasn't even tackle. I was just pushed."
Alexis, Jacob and Alek will race in six events, the maximum allowed at state. All three qualified for more than six.
Alexis will be in the 50, 100 and 200-yard backstrokes, the 100 and 200 freestyles and 200 individual medley.
"Alexis is close to qualifying for Far West in the 50 back," Mathe said. "She's within .5 of a second, and we're hoping good things will come out of that."
Jacob will swim in the same backstroke events, but on the boys side, and also the 500, 1,000 and 1,650 freestyles.
"Jacob dropped 1:10 off his time in the 1,000 (at state regionals)," Mathe said.
Alek is set to swim the 50 and 200 backstrokes, 50 and 100 freestyles, the 50 butterfly and 200 individual medley. Kael qualified for the 50 breaststroke, as did Tribbett.
"They've been swimming out of their minds," Mathe said. "They all dropped times at regionals."
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