Rochester Teams Shine in State Swimming Finals, Set for Saturday

UPDATE: Rochester’s top swimmers are making waves at the Class 2A State Swimming and Diving Finals this Saturday, with strong performances from Mayo, Century, and John Marshall. The competition, taking place at the Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, promises to showcase some of the best talents in the state, with finals set to begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

On the first day of the meet, Mayo’s 200-yard medley relay team—comprised of Elise Weingarten, Corrina Tonn, Madeline Gau, and Penelope Hauser—secured a spot in the championship finals with a preliminary time of 1:48.53. This impressive finish places them among the top eight, earning them coveted All-State honors.

Century’s relay team, featuring JiaYin Jian-Gross, Sophie Blixt, Chloe Magnuson, and Sarah Homme, narrowly missed advancing to the championship final, finishing ninth with a time of 1:49.10. They, along with John Marshall’s team of Kayla Mingo, Abigail Tri, Julia Ogren, and Maysen Pettengill, who placed 12th at 1:49.98, will compete in the consolation finals.

This year’s championship is particularly thrilling, as Julia Ogren dominated the preliminary heat for the 100-yard butterfly, clocking in at 53.88. She will vie for the state title on Saturday, alongside fellow competitors Sophie Blixt, who placed second at 55.70, and Madeline Gau, who finished sixth at 56.86.

The excitement continues with Ogren also set to compete in the 100-yard freestyle final after securing sixth in the preliminaries at 51.95. In a dramatic twist, Chloe Magnuson tied for 16th in the same event, resulting in a swim-off to determine the final spot in the consolation final, which ultimately went to Wayzata’s Brynn McNanley.

The championship atmosphere is heightened by Century’s relay team, which finished fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:38.05. They will be joined in the finals by John Marshall’s team, which placed fifth at 1:38.32.

Weingarten, who secured eighth in the prelims of the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.83, will also compete for the championship. Meanwhile, Gau finished just behind at 10th with 57.95, qualifying for the consolation final.

Blixt has her sights set on redemption in the 100-yard breaststroke, where she finished second in the prelims at 1:04.37. Last year’s runner-up, she will face tough competition from East Ridge’s Logan Havermann, who won the prelims with a time of 1:03.91.

In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Mayo’s team of Weingarten, Halle Yuan, Hauser, and Gau came in 16th at 3:42.33, also qualifying for the consolation final. Century’s team placed 18th.

In the Class 1A State Swimming and Diving Championships, also held at the Freeman Aquatic Center, local swimmer Eliana Cory of Red Wing finished 16th in the 200 freestyle prelims at 1:59.33, advancing to the consolation final.

As all eyes turn to the finals, Rochester’s athletes are eager to make their mark, with multiple swimmers competing for state titles and All-State honors. Fans and families are encouraged to attend the finals for what promises to be an exhilarating culmination of the state meet.

Stay tuned for updates as results roll in from the finals, and cheer on these exceptional athletes as they strive for greatness!