Before Topeka-Washburn Rural swimming sensation Haley Molden can take off for the Olympic trials she had to some unfinished business to attend to on the high school level. The senior swimmer is set try out for the national team in Omaha in late June in the 100-yard freestyle event…but that’s down the road, Saturday was her day to shine at the 6A girls’ state swimming finals.
Molden finished first in the 200-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle events on Saturday in Topeka, and she was just getting started. In addition to those individual state medals, Molden helped her squad capture gold in the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay.
“I am really excited, I was not expecting to do this well”, said Molden.
Needless to say with those accomplishments under her swim cap Molden was named “swimmer of the meet”. In the fall Molden is set to attend Kansas University and swim for the squad in Lawrence. On Friday in prelim action Molden set two new state championship meet records.
“I just swim as fast as I can and see what happens”, added Molden.
Topeka-Washburn Rural with the help of Molden finished second in the overall team standings with 254 points. Shawnee Mission-East captured first place with 294 points and rounding out the top three teams Olathe-Northwest finished in third with 233 team points.
A bit closer to home saw Wichita East finished ninth with 107 points and Wichita North finished in thirteenth place with 59 points.
For complete 6A results CLICK HERE.
Speaking of Wichita North they had a swimmer that without a doubt put on the race of the day inside the natatorium at the Hummer Sports Park. Sophomore swimmer Abbey Lassley had the fastest prelim time on Friday in the 100-yard back stroke…but could she repeat that result on Saturday? Lassley delivered in dramatic fashion in the finals posting a winning time of 59.22 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke. The North High sophomore just edged out Kate Snyder of Shawnee Mission-West who clocked in at 59.48 seconds.
“My initial reaction was shock…it was just like oh my gosh…I’m the state champion”, added Lassley.
Lassley also received first team all-state honors; the sophomore also placed second in the 50-yard freestyle behind Lawrence-Free State freshman Courtney Caldwell. The swimmer hopes to be back on top of the podium the next two years in her high school swimming career.
“A three year champion would be awesome”, said Lassley.
In an interesting note, three state championship meet records were set on Friday in preliminary action…zero were set at Saturday’s 6A finals.
