Mastrup shines at CIF Masters Championships

 
Congratulations to SJHS sophomore Maddie Mastrup who set a new school record in the 500-yard freestyle Tuesday while competing at CIF Masters Championships in Long Beach. This was Maddie’s third trip to Long Beach over the course of the past week to compete for her school. She and her teammates traveled south twice last week for CIF Division IV Prelims Tuesday and CIF Division IV finals Thursday.

CIF Masters combines in a single meet the best athletes from all four divisions of CIF Southern Section swimming, bringing together the best of the best athletes in one of the most competitive regions in the country. Rebekah Corbin of Nipomo High SChool also faired well, swimming the 200 IM in 2:11.86, slightly off her swims from last week.

Maddie, who earned second place in the same event at division finals last week, was seeded 24th in the event and last in her heat going into Tuesday night’s meet. She got off to a strong start from the outside lane, but two competitors across the pool attempted to set a faster pace with a rabbit race at the start. Maddie maintained her own pace, and ultimately powered past the early leaders to winning the heat in 5:08.77 ,more than one second faster than the school record she set in 2007.

The victory was bittersweet; among those in her heat was the swimmer who had bested Maddie out of the same event last week for the division championship.