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.