By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
BROWNSVILLE – Multiple athletes from Brownsville Hanna and Brownsville Veterans Memorial will be representing their city at the UIL state swimming & diving meets this weekend in Austin.
Brownsville Veterans is sending senior diver Makayla Schaelchlin and junior swimmer David Perez. The two will be competing in the Class 5A meet.
Schaelchlin finished third at the regional meet to qualify for state.
“I am nervous, but I worked hard so I am excited,” Schaelchlin said. “The competition is going to be tough, but I am going to try my best and hopefully reach the expectations and goals that I set.”
Perez will be swimming in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke at state. Perez finished second in both events at the regional meet.
“After I qualified, I was really emotional,” Perez said. “I have been swimming forever. I have been to Austin. The guys up there are crazy, and making it up there again for the third time is awesome. I am happy and really proud of myself.”
The last time Perez swam at the University of Texas pool was when he was 10 years old.
Leading Hanna into the Class 6A meet is senior Ricardo Rodriguez. The senior qualified individually for the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
“I am glad I can go my senior year, finish off the best way possible and try to break the city record,” Rodriguez said. “I am going to go out there and give it my all.”
Rodriguez anchors the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Seniors Michael Kowalski, Lorenzo Del Bosque and Ricardo Najera will join Rodriguez in the 200 freestyle relay.
“It is a very unique opportunity,” Kowalski said. “We were really doubting that we were going to go, but at the end we stuck it through. We are really working hard for our last swim.”
Del Bosque will be second in the pool for the relays.
“I am more excited than scared,” Del Bosque said. “If you told me this two years ago, it would have been the complete opposite. My legs would have been shaking.”
Najera is third in the pool for both relays.
“I am ready and excited,” Najera said. “I am happy we get to take people as a team, especially because we are taking Aaron (Vela). We have worked hard to get here for our last season.”
Vela, a junior, will join Kowalski, Najera and Rodriguez for the 400 freestyle relay.
“It is exciting because I get to be with the seniors,” Vela said. “It is their last year, and I just want to send them off in a big way.”