Girls Swimming Races to Second Place in Division

Swimmers from Midwood and Madison take their marks on the starting board. *Photo: Ning Zheng*

By NING ZHENG

With splashes bouncing off the pool walls and cheers louder than a championship game in Madison Square Garden, the Girls Swim Team raced to a first place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay against James Madison on October 17, with a time of exactly four minutes and 30.40 seconds. Despite the thrilling relay victory, the girls finished the meet with a 51-43 loss to their undefeated rival, the only team to finish above them in the division.

Fans packed the bleachers and teammates lined the deck to cheer each other on as the pool area rang with anticipation as every race grew more competitive.

“This meet meant everything,” said senior captain Charlotte Li, who anchored the winning relay. “Madison is one of our fiercest competitors. As a senior, it’s really sentimental knowing this chapter is coming to an end.”

For Li, the meet captured the season’s fierce competition, teamwork, and steady improvement. “The newcomers have grown tremendously,” she said. “Some of them didn’t even know how to do flip turns at the beginning of the year, and now they’re racing confidently and dropping time every meet.”

For sophomore Ellie Du, the season has been all about progress. “Being part of this team means everything,” she said. “Getting to do events while my teammates are cheering ‘Go Ellie! Use your legs!’ makes me feel excited for the next meet.” Du’s next goal is to “beat my time and improve my start,” she added.

Angelina Mei ’26, a swimmer for James Madison, said the matchup pushed both teams to their limits.

“What made the meet so competitive was how similar our times are,” she said. “Our teams are also close friends, so we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Mei added that the close races challenged her personally. “In my 100 freestyle, all I could think was, ‘Kick harder, she’s in front of you,’” she said. “Just being able to compete with so many good swimmers makes me proud of where I have come.”

Midwood Coach Lindsey Pero agreed that the Madison showdown was “the most exciting meet of the season.”

“We wanted to work together to give Madison a run for their money,” she said. “In this competitive atmosphere, we hoped to get our fastest times of the year. Even though we narrowly lost, many of our athletes swam faster than ever before.”

Ms. Pero praised the team’s work ethic. “Team members have managed to drop times, improve on skills like flip turns and dives, and try new, demanding events that they never dreamed of swimming before,” she said. “I am so proud of them!”

Midwood finished with an outstanding regular season record of 8-2, placing second behind Madison (10-0). Though the loss to their Bedford rival hurt, it showed the team’s growth and their determination, as they were able to make the playoffs, where they were ultimately defeated by the Bronx High School of Science.

Li offered advice for younger swimmers who will carry on the legacy: “Put yourself out there. Do it for your friends, not just yourself.”

The most rewarding part of the season, senior Grace Sudol said, “has been having a team I love and can count on, and a coach who always believed in us.”

She reflected on how swimming shaped her high school experience. “I found girls who are always there for me, and I’ve learned so much, from time management to projecting myself,” Sudol said. “It’s really the best thing I’ve done.”