Manta Rays claim three meet records in Ellensburg

ELLENSBURG — Moses Lake swimmers Anthony Alvarez, Azzy Alvarez, Maisie Becker, Cole Lindberg, Jordan Pack, Kade Pack, Issac Patten, Tanner Patten, Brittney Richeson, Cody Stutzman, Zachary Washburn and Jessica Williams competed for Manta Ray Aquatics at the Winter Open in Ellensburg recently.

The Manta Rays had many great performances throughout the duration of the meet. On Saturday, Stutzman earned a personal best in his 50 butterfly with a time of 1 minute, 2.24 seconds by cutting 3.5 seconds off his previous time.

Fellow Manta Ray Azzy Alvarez dropped an amazing eight seconds in her 100 breaststroke with a time of 1 minute, 56.15 seconds and 18 seconds in her 100 backstroke with a time of 1 minute, 55.26 seconds.

Her younger brother, Anthony Alvarez, also had a great meet. The-eight-year old took home eight first place finishes in his age group, sweeping the butterfly, breaststroke, and freestyle events at both the 25 and 50-yard distances.

Other notable Saturday swims include 12-year-old Issac Patten’s first ever 200 butterfly swim with a time of 3 minutes, 34.33 seconds, for which he earned a third place finish, and Tanner Patten’s 500 freestyle swim in 6 minutes, 35.5 seconds, where the 14-year-old shaved off 29 seconds.

Maisie started out Sunday’s competition with an outstanding race in the 100 individual medley, achieving what would be her first of two short course champs qualifying times. She would also go on to qualify for the 200 freestyle event, dropping almost five seconds.

Jordan Pack walked away with what the sport would consider to be a “perfect performance”, having cut time in every single one of his individual events. Brittney Richeson and Kade Pack also achieved this same feat, posting personal bests in every individual swim.

Both Richeson and Kade Pack are on the brink of qualifying for short course champs, hosted in Moses Lake at the end of the month. They would join their teammates Maisie Becker, Cole Lindberg, Jordan Pack, Jessica Williams, Zachary Washburn and other Manta Rays who have qualified for the elite meet.

Jessica Williams made a show of force in the 13-14 age group, posting two second place finishes in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1 minute, 18.06 seconds and 200 butterfly with a time of 2 minutes, 56.14 seconds.

She also took home four third place finishes in the 50 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 400 IM and 200 breaststroke.

12-year-old Cole Lindberg is proving to be a formidable athlete in his age division, earning two second place finishes in the 50 backstroke in 34.26 seconds and 200 butterfly in 2 minutes, 46.01 seconds.

This is in addition to his third place finish in the 50 butterfly with a time of 31.91 seconds.

Finally, Zachary Washburn swept all four of his individual events on Sunday, smashing three meet records in the process, and cutting time in every event. In his 50fFreestyle, Washburn posted a time of 24.51 seconds, a full second faster than the previous record of 25.67.

He destroyed the previous 200 freestyle meet record in similar fashion, swimming nearly three seconds faster than the previous time in 2 minutes, 0.66 seconds. In possibly the most intense race of the meet, Zachary Washburn won a battle for first place in the 400 IM, cutting seven seconds off his own personal best and setting a meet record with a time of 4 minutes, 48.72 seconds.