Kaitlin Pawlowicz (fourth from right) finished fourth in the 5K at U.S. Open Water Nationals earlier this month. (Photo courtesy Curl-Burke Swim Club)

Several swimmers this weekend will compete in near-opposite worlds in the swim community, as many prepare not just for their opening summer swim meets but also a Senior Champs meet in club long course competition in Alexandria.

For many of the swimmers that compete in both, the two meets require completely different preparation. Summer swimming is about team and fun, several swimmers said, while the long course meet is about individual accomplishments.

“Summer meets are more about fun and racing fast because it’s all 50-[meter races],” said Hellen Moffitt, 15, who swims for Mansion House in Alexandria. “And it’s kind of more a team thing because you’re trying to score points for you team so they’ll win. At long course you’re focusing on yourself and you’re trying to improve your times. It’s much more relaxed than a summer team.”

While the two meets require opposite mindsets, swimmers said they are used this type of situation because many compete for both high school and club teams, and also because many can focus on summer meets on Saturday and long course on Sunday.

“You don’t prepare for a Saturday but you really prepare for a Sunday,” said Conor MacNair, Moffitt’s teammate at Mansion House. “To go into the meet knowing you’re probably destined to get not your best times and you’ve got to face it and figure out what you want to swim closest to that. You’ve got to prepare yourself for how hot it’s going to be, how crowded it’s going to be and how much of a long drag-out meet it’s going to be.”

Curl-Burke Swimmers Take To Open Water

Oakton All-Met Swimmer of the Year Kaitlin Pawlowicz recently finished fourth at the 5K National Open Water Championship and National Team trials.

Pawlowicz, a two-time All-Met, finished the 5K race in 1:02:38.260 and also took 28th in the 10K event earlier this month. Pawlowicz finished the 10K in 2:12:46.872.

In an event with almost 600 swimmers, Curl-Burke’s Andrew Gyenis took first in the 2010 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, finishing the 4.4 mile swim in 1:28.45.

Olympic Swimmers Coming to Ashburn Camp

Olympian swimmers Josh Davis and Lacey Nymeyer are coming to Ashburn to host a camp for the Blue Wave Swim Club, according to a press release.

Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinic will be held at the Ashburn Village Sports Pavilion on July 11 and will feature Davis, who was the only man in any sport to win three gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Davis was the captain of the USA Men’s Swim Team at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and won two silver medals.

Nymeyer won a silver medal and set an American record on the 400-meter freestyle relay team at the 2008 Olympic games.

The four-hour stroke technique clinic will be held from 12-4 p.m. For more information contact Kira Oliver at 703-729-0581 or by email at coachkira@pvbluewave.com.

Tags: Kaitlin Pawlowicz

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