By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
The UIL state swimming meet can be quite an impactful experience.
It was all that and more Friday and Saturday at the University of Texas Swimming and Diving Center in Austin.
The best showing of swimmers from the Metro Area at state was turned in by Adrian Fierro of Brownsville Veterans Memorial in the Class 5A division. On Saturday, he finished eighth in the 100 freestyle (48.44 seconds) in the championship heat and 11th in the 50 freestyle (21.80 seconds) in the consolation heat.
Fierro’s times were off his personal-best times in the two events that were set earlier this month in regional competition.
“This was a great eye-opening experience for Adrian to not only swim against the best in Texas and final, but also to be exposed to such an overwhelming facility as the UT Swim Center,” Brownsville Veterans swimming coach Frank Sanchez said. “It is only going to give him the confidence and awareness for what he will be doing next (school) year at the collegiate level.
“Adrian did tell me that nerves got the better of him in the prelims (on Friday), but he felt calmer in the finals,” Sanchez added.
Fierro, a senior, has signed to swim in college for Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Sanchez said he and assistant coach Jose Luis Zarate took along a freshman swimmer from their school’s team so he could experience what it’s like at state.
“It opened his eyes that with more training and sacrifice maybe he can make it to state someday, too,” Sanchez said.
“All in all, it served as a great experience that will only catapult our swim team down in the Valley,” he added.
Also at state were swimmers from Los Fresnos competing in the Class 6A division.
The Falcons’ Luis Osuna was 23rd in both 200 and 500 freestyles, while teammate Carlos Paredes was 24th in the 500 freestyle.
Osuna and Paredes swam at state on the Falcons’ 200 and 400 freestyle relays with Will McKinney and Daniel Escamilla. They finished 21st in the 400 relay and 22nd in the 200 relay.
Also for Los Fresnos at state, Sarah Villarreal was 22nd in both the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle.