LAMORINDA WEEKLY | OCC Takes First in Meadow Mini


Girls' 5-and-under 100-yard medley relay Photos Gint Federas

The Meadow Mini Swim Meet is all about the little ones. Only children who are 8 years old or under are eligible to swim, and they only compete against kids of the same age. This differs from all other meets where kids swim within a larger age group. As the most "age-pure" meet of the season, the Mini Meet levels out the competition and gives everyone a chance to win.

"This meet is so much fun because the littlest swimmers are the stars of the day." said co-chair Mallory Samora. "No matter how young they are, if they can swim across the pool, they can participate."

Kids as young as 3 years old participate. For 8-year-old Annabelle Hegarty from Moraga Valley Pool, that's her favorite part. "It's fun. It's the only meet that 'minis' swim in and they're so cute," she said.

Hosted every year by the Meadow Swim and Tennis Club, this year's 44th annual meet was held on July 20 and included 500 swimmers from the nine clubs within the Orinda Moraga Pool Association.

The meet feels like a rite of passage for both kids and parents. For MVP parent Andrea Hegarty, this year's Mini Meet is her fifth and final one since her daughter is aging out. "It's nostalgic," she said. "It's the last year my kids will swim (at this meet)."

While the meet is great fun and a community favorite, it is still competitive. This year, Orinda Country Club brought home the winning trophy, upsetting Sleepy Hollow's run for a fourth straight win. Moraga Country Club placed second and Sleepy Hollow edged out Meadow by just one half of one point to take third.

Of the many accomplished swimmers, two broke records. Eight-year-old Natalie Aiken of Sleepy Hollow broke Aphrodite Daphini's meet record in the 25-yard butterfly by 0.14 seconds, stopping the clock at 15.66 seconds.

Seven-year-old Bronson Tronzo of Miramonte Swim Club set a new meet record in the 25-yard breast stroke, touching the wall in 19.35 seconds - almost a full second faster than Reid Earnhardt's previous record of 20.27. Both record times are almost three seconds faster than the qualifying times needed for the end-of-season county meet.

While some kids are breaking records and achieving personal bests, other kids are competing for the first time. At the Mini Meet every kid feels like a winner. Luke Sagara, a 4-year-old swimming for Meadow, said it best when asked what the best part of the Mini Meet is. He beamed, "I won!"

Final point standings:

Orinda Country Club 523 pts.

Moraga Country Club 481.50 pts.

Sleepy Hollow Swim and Tennis Club 411 pts.

Meadow Swim and Tennis Club 410.5 pts.

Orinda Park Pool 298 pts.

Moraga Ranch Swim Club 298 pts.

Moraga Valley Pool 243.50 pts.

Miramonte Swim Club 149.50 pts.

Campolindo Cabana Club 24 pts.