Todd Beamer is really good at swimming this year, as it showed in an easy come from behind win over the Decatur Gators' boys at the King County Aquatic Center Thursday.

Sue Bergman didn't have as much to say about the meet -- in fact nothing -- but most importantly noting, "Be sure to talk to my four relay swimmers over there."

She pointed at them and it was not known how good a couple of them are -- world class at the high school level for one, and the other is young, but the world will be his class, too, by the time he is a senior.

Freshman Jade Feigert was a national best in his age group, 13-14, last year and didn't win the 100 breast, that time was a 1:11.59, but he could have.

His best time is ”a minutish,” he said, which is frosh talk for one minute. Taking this kid for granted for not getting first this year in his signature 100 breast event is probably OK because a swimmer up north, Aaron Reichel, swims it a little faster.

But, who knows, state will come and Feigert may be there as he was there on two relays on this afternoon of high school dual meet swimming, on two first relays for the Titans, medley and free relays that did times of 1:48.66 in the 200 medley and 3:37. 25 in the 400 free.

This is still early, but Bart Wanot, Shane Clair, Cole Um, and Feigert are right there close to state best times.
Wanot is the national swimmer that is a junior for the Titans but has not swam for the school his first two years attending and concentrating on other things.

"I have been doing club swimming and going to a lot of big meets that happen during the high school swimming meets but sitting up in the stands at state was tough to do when I knew I wanted to be out there," said Wanot.

Out there winning. Wanot is currently the ninth best ranked high school swimmer in the nation that's talking about kids from New York to Texas to California to Florida and all states high and low and in between.

That's a best ever rank from any swimmer in Federal Way and maybe the state of Washington, which is exactly what Wanot will be gunning after in his signature event, the 100 back.

Michael Phelps goes a 48 second 100 backstroke, so, let's put things in perspective.

Wanot, 50. That's as in 50 seconds.

Two seconds is a lot of time when one talks about Olympic swimmers to the next tier down -- Junior National level -- but that is just where Wanot is.

Wanot will be swimming in a big meet in a few weeks that he could see Phelps in if...

"If I make the finals," said Wanot.

Chance of that?

"Yes," he said. "My best time is 50, a second or half second off Olympic Trial time."

Leona Jennings, who set an all-time Washington best for girls last year as a rare achievement, swam to a ninth place finish in the Olympic Trials. For girls, Jennings was a rare breed, helping her Mount Rainier Rams high school team take sixth and putting herself into the photograph light for getting “Swimmer of the Meet.”

Wanot is that kind of swimmer.

He's not just nationally ranked in one event, either. He also swims a mean 200 free, and in that race (long course), he is ranked 11th. Or, it is ninth?

"I am ranked ninth and 11th, I am not sure which is what," said Wanot.

Whatever, it's just flat out remarkable to have a swimmer that good in our midst. And Feigert is certainly headed in a similar direction, just a couple years younger. Having the nationally acclaimed King County Weyerhaueser Aquatic Center in our backyard certainly doesn't hurt as Feigert, for one, moved here from Lakewood last year swimming.

Both Wanot and Feigert are dedicated, swimming since old enough to read “See Dick run, see Jane walk” books, which is kindergarten for those not familiar with “The Red Book” and “The Blue Book.”

So Beamer is good, and Decatur looked good early on. After Um, Feigert, Wanot and Clair teamed for the 200 medley relay to kick the 11 meet event off plus diving, it was all Decatur for a short spurt as they were eating things up and looking good like their opening cheer.

"Oooh, Ahh, Oooh, Ahh, Gators on the warpath, Gators on the warpath," the swimmers said, showing their arms extended and crisscrossing in an eating fashion.

And they were warring well as in event two, the Gators’ Sean Sobus won in 2:02.47. Decatur climbed to within six, 18-12, after the first event had the Gators down, 12-2.

Then the Gators won event three, 29-17. And then it was Noah Johnson for the Gators in the 50 freestyle, 23.20, for that win. And then Tanner Brotherton in the 100 butterfly at 57.00. So a lead there for the Gators of 51-43. But then it was diving's turn and Ludomir Wanot of Beamer won it with 187 points while Josh Ruiz-Velasco was second and Blake Zimmerman third for the Gators.

Wanot talking about himself, having that chance, and said “I want to win state.”

"I failed a dive and still was ninth," said Wanot, who teammate Tommy Fraychineaud beat.

"Yeah, Tommy, is on a 75 percent ride scholarship at Stanford,” said a beaming Wanot about his friend.

Then he said, "Talk to my brother. He is second in the nation at swimming the 100 back."

Well, only a few ranks off. Good enough.
 
Anyway, so,diving that actually, thanks to Gators better depth, was a wash in scoring. Then Noah Johnson won the 100 free and it was 64-62, Gators. But the time then came for wins for Beamer in the 200 free relay and the 100 back, with Dylan Chase (1:01.73).