Thirion's silver leads area swimmers

Staff report

CLEVELAND

Warren Harding junior Emily Thirion was the only area athlete to automatically qualify for the state meet during Saturday’s Division I district competition at Cleveland State University.

Thirion finished second in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24:07. The top two finishers in each district race qualify for the state meet which will be held this week at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium. Sixteen at-large qualifiers for each race will be announced today.

Among those with a chance to qualify are fourth-place finishers Dylan Thirion of Harding in both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, and Howland’s Aimee Gysegem in the girls’ 500 freestyle.

Gysegem also finished fifth in the 200 freestyle and Boardman’s Brooke Bailey and Jessica Hilk were fifth in the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly, respectively.

Both of those efforts were Boardman school records, Bailey in 1:05.94 and Hilk in 58.45. Hilk also set a school record of 1:56.81 with her 10th-place finish in the 200 freestyle.

The Spartans’ 200 medley relay team of Bailey, Hilk, Sarah Gonda and Jordyn Markovitch also set a school record of 1:49.31 while finishing sixth.

Canfield’s girls broke three school records: the medley relay team of Sarah Heaven, Theresa Mikolay, Mallory Allen and Olivia Williamson swam 1.51.39 in taking ninth; Heaven broke her own 100 back record with a 1.01.14; and Mikolay topped her own breaststroke record with a 1.08.51 clocking.