Monday adds 50 free to Y-Nat list
- Updated: July 20, 2014
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Mikey Monday didn’t know a whole lot about the YMCA Nationals when he left Anniston for the Southeastern Championships in Knoxville earlier in the week. He’s learning a lot about them now – and quickly.
Monday qualified for the Y-Nationals in a second event Saturday, backing up the 100 freestyle ticket he punched the night before with a personal best 26.11 in the 50.
“It’s been a great weekend; I’ve dropped time on everything I swam here,” he said.
The 50 free is Monday’s best event and he beat his previous best time in it by more than three-tenths of a second. The Blue Dolphins standout will swim the 50 and the 100 at the Y-Nationals in Indianapolis later this month before heading off to college at the University of the Cumberlands.
“I didn’t have any idea about the Y-Nationals; I was just coming for better times,” he said. “I looked it up the other night. I found out where it was, how far away it was. … I think it’ll be a really good experience. The more meets I get under my belt before college, the better it’ll be.”
Blue Dolphins coach Brandy Sanders said all four boys on the 400 medley relay swam their best splits of the year Saturday. Monday was 5.5 seconds better on his split in the 100 butterfly. The Under-12s have a big day Sunday.
Volunteer assistant coach Johnny Pearson, a former Auburn swimmer, called Monday’s double a “fantastic accomplishment.”
He said they weren’t even looking at qualifying cuts until about three weeks ago when he noticed Monday getting faster and faster.
“It just kind of came together,” Pearson said. “He had a meet in June and was quick there. He just about got it two weeks ago. I knew he was close. I was pretty confident coming into this week he would get either the 50 or the 100 – or both. He’s put in a ton of work.”
And the journey’s not over.
Al Muskewitz is Content Editor/Senior Writer of East Alabama Sports Today. He can be reached at musky@wrightmediacorp.com and followed on Twitter @easportstoday1.
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