SENIORS LEAD FANWOOD-SCOTCH PLAINS YMCA SWIM TEAM TO NINTH PLACE AT YMCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MEET

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA (“FSPY”) swim team finished in ninth place at the YMCA Long Course National Championships held July 29th-August 2nd at the Georgia Tech Aquatics Center. There were 114 teams from 20 states who competed at this meet.

Seniors Ryan Gajdzisz, Molly Gaynor, and Jodie Thompson celebrated their last swim meet together by scoring in both individual and relay events, breaking team records (“TR”) in five individual and four relay events.  During this meet, a total of 16 team records were set, 12 in individual events and 4 in relay events.  Gajdizisz was an “iron man” for team FSPY, scoring in the 800 free (7th; TR), 400 free (11th; TR), 200 free (11th; TR), and 100 free (13th), and in each of the five scoring relays.  Alex Skoog led off each of these relays – 800 free (10), 400 free (12th), 200 medley (14th), 200 free (14th), and 400 medley (15th).  In individual events, Skoog broke team records in both the 50 meter (7th) and 100 meter (11th) backstroke.  Breaststroker Tyler Lessner scored in the individual 50 meter event (17th) and in both medley relays.  Contributing to the success of these scoring relays were Joe Baron (3 relays), Anthony Gurrieri (2), Dan Drozdzewicz (1), Jeff Peart (1) and Peter Tomljanovic (1).  Joining these relay members, Aram Barmakian earned the coveted black swim cap, worn only during national championship finals, by qualifying in the 50 breaststroke.

Molly Gaynor ended her FSPY career by breaking team records in both the 50 (4th) and 100 (8th) meter butterfly events.  Breaststroker Jodie Thompson scored in both the 50 meter (11th) and 100 (19th) meter events.  Gaynor and Thompson were members of the four scoring and team record setting relays -200 medley (5th; TR), 200 free (5th;TR), 400 free (5th; TR), and 400 medley (6th;TR).  Sarah Cronin anchored each of these relays and also scored in the individual 100 free (10th), 200 free (16th), and 50 backstroke (20th).   Savannah Llewellyn led off the medley relays and finished ninth in the individual 50 meter backstroke event, setting a team record.  Sarah Davis scored in both the 50 meter (17th) and 100 meter (18th) individual freestyle events and in both of the freestyle relays.

Twelve year old Monika Burzynski was one of the two youngest competitors who qualified for championship finals at this national meet. Monika earned her black cap and set a team age group (11-12) record in the individual 50 meter butterfly.  She also set team age group records in the 100 meter freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly events.

Coach Chris Karelus was excited about the team’s 9th place finish with the departing seniors finishing their careers with FSPY in top honors while acknowledging that the future of the National team remained strong with the contributions of the younger members.

The Y is the nation’s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. For information on membership or programs, or to request a schedule of classes, please call the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA at (908) 889-8880 or visit the Y’s website at www.fanwoodscotchplainsymca.org. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.