Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
IRVINE — Amid the excitement and protocols of a return to competition, an impressive debut occurred at the U.S. Open swimming meet at the Woollett Aquatics Center earlier this month.
Justina Kozan, a transfer to Santa Margarita High in the offseason, made her Southern California racing debut in the blue and gold of the Mission Viejo Nadadores.
The high school junior flashed her textbook stroke en route to capturing the 200-meter individual medley and placing second and third in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke, respectively, at the USA Swimming meet in Irvine on Friday, Nov. 13.
The downsized U.S. Open was SoCal’s first swimming competition since the start of the pandemic and followed strict safety guidelines, including on-deck inspection by the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Kozan’s triple on the second day of the meet was even more notable considering it came coming off an injury.
“I’m doing a lot better now but in the summer, I kind of hurt my shoulder a little bit,” she said. “But I’ve gotten better.”
Kozan, joined the Nadadores and Coach Mark Schubert in May in move from Brea Aquatics, won the 200-meter individual in Irvine by nearly two seconds over runner-up Samantha Pearson of SOCAL with a touch of 2 minutes, 14.34 seconds in the morning session.
Kozan finished fifth overall in the 200 IM in the U.S. Open, which used timed finals from satellite pools across the nation to crown a champion.
The U.S. junior national team member holds the SoCal Swimming record in the 200 IM for the 15-16 age-group with a 2:11.55.
In the evening session, she narrowly missed breaking 2 minutes in the 200 free, stopping the clock in 2 minutes, 0.58 seconds to place seventh overall in the U.S. Open.
Later in the 100 back, Kozan touched in 1:03.87 in a tight dual with fellow 16-year-olds Kennedy Noble (1:02.22) and Emma Karam (1:03.10), from Arizona and Nevada, respectively, to take 41st overall in the U.S Open.
On Saturday, she finished 22nd overall in the 200 back in a personal-best 2:16.27 and 42nd in the 100 free (57.32).
Before Irvine, Kozan made overall debut for the Nadadores during a meet in Arizona.
“I really like the team,” she said of Mission Viejo. “Everyone is really supportive of one another. We also have a massage therapists too, which is really cool.”
Outside the competition pool, Kozan is enjoying attending Santa Margarita High with her sister Asia, who also raced for the Nadadores at the U.S. Open.
The former CIF-SS Division 3 champion from Walnut is attending classes in full, distancing learning mode.
“I have seven classes, which is a lot more than I’m used to but it’s really organized,” she said. “Most of the Nadadores are staying online because it’s easier for practice.”
Posted by: https://anaheimsigns.com
No comments:
Post a Comment