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“I’m so happy!”
Those were the first words Amelia Armstrong-Grant said to her father at the end of the AAU Junior Olympic National Games held at UM’s Canham Natatorium July 26 – July 29. Amelia had just set new AAU records in the girls 15 – 18 year old 50 long course (LC) meter freestyle and the 100 LC meter freestyle events. Along with her Plymouth Canton Cruiser team mates, she also set new AAU records in the 400 LC Meter Medley Relay (4:41.57), the 400 LC Meter Freestyle Relay (4:16.68), the 200 LC Meter Freestyle Relay (1:54.33) and the 200 LC Meter Medley Relay (2:09.79). Amelia’s 50 LC meter freestyle time of 27.32 beat the previous record of 27.62 set in 1996. Her 100 LC meter freestyle time of 59.62 beat the old record of 59.72 set in 2001. In all, Amelia competed in 6 individual events and 4 relays for a total of 16 races. She placed first in all her races except for one.
The AAU Junior Olympics completed one of the busiest weeks in Amelia’s young career. In 8 days, she competed in 3 meets in 2 states swimming in 14 individual events and 7 relays for a total of 30 races. She started the week on Monday, July 22nd at the 53rd Annual WISC Swimming Championships where she swam for the Travis Pointe Tiger Sharks in the 13-14 year old category. She took 1st place in all three of her individual events with the fastest times of any age group in those events. Having turned 15 on that day, she then headed to Oxford, Ohio as part of the Plymouth Canton Cruisers USA Swimming team to compete as a 15 year old in the Speedo Champions Series Central Zone Sectional meet. There she competed in 5 events and 2 relays for a total of 10 races. Then it was back to Ann Arbor for the AAU Junior Olympic Games where she continued to compete for the Plymouth Canton Cruisers as the youngest swimmer in the field of 15 to 18 year olds. While competing in Ohio, Amelia received word from the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Associated (NISCA) that her Saline High School 200 Freestyle Relay team’s time of 1:36.94 (set during her freshman year) was an All-America cut, giving Amelia her 2nd All-America cut as a freshman at Saline.
Amelia swims for the Travis Pointe Tiger Sharks in the WISC league, the Plymouth Canton Cruisers in the USA Swimming league and for the Saline High School Hornets where she will begin her sophomore campaign when high school swimming starts on August 13.
More News from Saline
- World War II Veteran George Renton Was Part Owner of Draw Tite Trailer Hitch Company George Alexander Renton formerly of Belleville, Good Hart, and Harbor Springs, Michigan, passed away at the age of 103 .
- Saline Twirlettes Golf Outing is June 9 The Saline Twirlettes hold a golf outing June 9 at Brookside Golf Course in Saline.
