SPRINGFIELD – Alton High School freshman Noah Clancy just started his high school swimming career this boys swimming season.
Clancy has accomplished something big already, qualifying for this coming weekend's IHSA Boys Swimming Championship at New Trier High School in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka by winning the 100-yard backstroke at Saturday's IHSA Springfield Sectional meet at Eisenhower Pool.
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Clancy was the only area swimmer to advance to the state meet, winning the event in 51.82 seconds.
“It was a close race,” Clancy said, “so I tried to work on my technique and streamlines and all my power” to go on to take the win.
“I was stunned," Clancy said when he realized he had advanced to the state meet. “I already had the time to make it (the state qualifying standard is 53.47 seconds), but I wasn't expecting to go way below that time. When I stopped, I had to take a double-look at the scoreboard; I was actually like, 'did I go that?'”
Clancy will head to the state meet and use the opportunity as a learning experience. “It's my big takeaway from it,” Clancy said.
Clancy is in his sixth year of competitive swimming, having been swimming with the Alton Tidalwaves YMCA swimming team and with the SummersPort summer swim team in Alton.
Preliminary events at the state meet begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday, with the finals beginning at noon Saturday.
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