Allegheny Valley YMCA sets records at district championships

The Allegheny Valley YMCA wasn’t just well-represented at the district championship. The team made waves in the meet with record-breaking performances.

Brody Petrak, 12, headlined the Allegheny Valley YMCA as he captured the 200-yard breaststroke title in the 11- and 12-year old division March 10-12 at the Pennsylvania YMCA West District Championships in Geneva, Oh.

Petrak finished with a time of 2:48.16 in the event, an AVY record.

Petrak finished in the top four in four other events. He finished fourth in the 200 IM with a time of 2:26.75, which broke a 41-year-old record at the AVY. The record belonged to Jeff Diller (2:26.80).

Petrak finished third in the 100 IM (1:09.89), another record, and finished fourth in the 100 fly and 200 fly.

The top six finishers in all events at the district meet qualify for the Pennsylvania YMCA State Championships at Mylan Park Aquatic Center in Morgantown, W.Va. on March 24-26.

Petrak will try to swim in all five individual events, but he might have to drop out the 100 fly, the event right before the 200 IM.

“It’s a lot of swimming, but he wants to swim in all of these events. He wants to break records in each of the events,” AVY coach Becca Arabia said.

“It’s amazing to have a kid that’s only 12 years old to have the stamina to do that many events in a meet and do well.”

AVY had 32 swimmers qualify for the district meet that includes age groups of 10 and under, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-21.

Olivia Walewski set AVY records in the 200 back (third, 2:15.44) and 200 fly (fourth 2:19.51) in the 13-14 division.

Walewski qualified for states in a third event, finishing fifth in the 100 back.

Nico Malta qualified for states in three events, including a record-breaking fourth-place finish in the 200 back in the 11-12 division. Malta finished fourth in the 100 back and fifth in the 50 back.

“My goal I set for these kids is to beat themselves. My highest goal for them is that I want them to get into those finals to see that kind of success. I want them to achieve the goals they want to do. I want those kids that are close to these records to be able to go after those and realize that success too,” Arabia said.

In the 11-12 division, Ian Walewski qualified for states in the 200 back, and MacKenna Dorian qualified in the 200 breast.

Addie Imler qualified for states in the 200 free in the 13-14 division. Elizabeth Altman qualified in the 200 IM for the 10 and under division.

In the 15-21 division, Brenna Bonnett qualified in the 400 IM.

AVY also had four relay teams qualify for the state meet.

The 13-14 girls relay team of Imler, Olivia Walewski, Joy Beck and Hannah Altman qualified in the 400 free and 200 free relays. The 400 free relay broke an AVY record at the district meet.

The 11-12 boys relays of Petrak, Malta, Ian Walewski and Evan Faltot qualified in the 400 free and 200 free relays. The 400 free relay set an AVY record at the meet.

In the team scores, the 11-12 boys took third in the district meet.

No matter how things turn out for those state qualifiers, Arabia believes the experience gained by the swimmers will be beneficial.

“The discipline of swimming is one of the best learning tools you can have. It doesn’t just teach you the art and technique of swimming. It teaches you so many life lessons. With what these kids are going after, I hope they can apply to their lives down the road in anything and everything that they do,” Arabia said.

“With these kids, a lot of them these days are lacking confidence and belief in themselves. I believe these successes and working hard to achieve builds that.”