Winona's Williams advances to championship finals in two events at Class 1A state swimming meet
Nov. 17—MINNEAPOLIS — Abby Williams of Winona reached the championship finals in a pair of events during the preliminary round of the Class 1A girls swimming and diving state meet on Friday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
Williams, a sophomore, was in fifth place in both of her individual events, the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. She posted a time of 2:11.83 in the 200 IM and went 1:06.15 in the breaststroke. She won Section 1 titles in both events.
The top eight finishers in each of the 11 swimming events advance to the championship finals on Saturday while swimmers 9-16 compete in the consolation finals.
Austin freshman Gracie Greenman also earned a spot in the championship finals and kept her title hopes alive. Greenman posted the seventh-best time in the 100 backstroke during the prelims with a time of 59.50.
Red Wing senior Emma Hoppman just missed a spot in the championship finals of the 100 freestyle. She placed ninth overall with a time of 53.95 and will swim in the consolation finals.
Hoppman placed 27th in the 100 backstroke, but she did swim on a relay that earned a spot in the consolation finals. She teamed with seniors Kyrrah Mullaney and Ari Holzer and freshman Eliana Cory to record the 10th overall time in the 200 freestyle relay.
Mullaney missed out on a berth in the consolation finals in both of her individual events. She placed 18th in the 100 breaststroke and was 19th in the 50 freestyle.
Williams was part of a Winona relay that just made it into the consolation finals of the 200 medley relay. She joined senior Harper Wolner, and juniors Makayla Finnegan and Madeline Modjeski to finish in 16th place.
The diving prelims and semifinals were on Thursday and Austin had two juniors in position for top state finishes. Alayna Kennedy was sitting in first place and Reese Norton was in fifth. Each diver will get three more dives during the championship finals.
The championship and consolation finals for swimming and diving will be held noon Saturday at the Aquatic Center.
