If you were around the Mt. San...
If you were around the Mt. San Antonio College pool Friday or
Saturday, and you felt the presence of a big sigh of relief as Orange
Coast College’s men’s and women’s swim teams depart, you can chalk it
up to the Tsai factor, as in Sherry Tsai.
The Orange Coast freshman exploded out of the blocks with meet
record swims of 26.38 in the 50-yard backstroke, 58.29 in the 100
individual medley and 57.44 in the 100 butterfly, as well as
participating in three meet record swims with OCC women’s relay
teams.
Tsai, a member of Hong Kong’s national team and training for the
2004 Olympic Games, arrived by way of the Irvine Novas.
“She’s good,” said OCC women’s coach Mike Giles of the 5-foot-5
Tsai. “She has a phenomenal kick and beautiful technique.”
The Pirates’ women obliterated the field at the Mt. San Antonio
Invitational with Riverside the only serious challenger in an 18-team
field, posting 693 points. Riverside had 524.5.
OCC’s record-setting relays teams had times of 1:40.24 and 3:39.17
in the 200 and 400 freestyles, and 4:01.74 in the 400 medley relay.
Among Coast’s individual winners, aside from Tsai’s stunning
early-season performance, were freshmen Kimberly Frith (Capistrano
Valley), Sara Natalizio (Irvine) and Sarah Mitchell (Mission Viejo).
Frith, as did Tsai in the individual events, tripled, winning the
100 free (54.19), 200 free (1:57.67) and 500 free (5:15.09), as well
as participating on the three record-setting relay teams. The
Pirates’ winning 200 medley team (1:55.95) came up short of OCC’s
meet record time of 1:52.48, set in 1993.
Natalizio went 27.55 to win the 50 fly and Mitchell went 1:02.68
to win the 100 back.
OCC’s men (413 points) were second to Ventura (423).
Tyson Beamer, a returning sophomore by way of Irvine High, led
Coast’s men with a victory in the 50 free (21.69) and logged a
sizzling 21.3 as the anchor of the winning 200 free relay team at
meet’s end, the Pirates finishing in 1:29.66.
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