Jensen places top 10 in two events at 2024 Western Zone Age Group LCM Championships
Myelle Jensen (purple) gets ready to swim the 50-meter backstroke at the 2024 Western Zone Age Group Long Course Meters Championships held Aug. 7-10 at the Idaho Central Aquatics Center in Boise. Jensen represented the Inland Empire Swimming All-Stars and was the only swimmer from the Sandpoint Sharks Swim Club who qualified for the meet.
(Courtesy Photo)
Local 12-year-old Myelle Jensen placed fourth in the girls’ 11-12 50-meter backstroke and 10th in the 100-meter backstroke at the 2024 Western Zone Age Group Long Course Meters Championships, which featured the West Coast’s best swimmers, held Aug. 7-10 at the Idaho Central Aquatics Center in Boise.
Jensen represented the Inland Empire Swimming All-Stars and was the only swimmer from the Sandpoint Sharks Swim Club who qualified for the meet. Overall, the Inland Empire Swimming League had 24 swimmers from 14 different swim teams qualify for Western Zone’s, a meet reserved for the best eight to 14-year-old swimmers from Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and Alaska.
The following swim teams are just part of the IES zone, which shows how difficult it is to qualify for an event like this: Atomic Swim Club (Pasco, Wash.), Baker YMCA Swim Club (Baker City, Ore.), Coeur d’Alene Area Swim Team (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho), Cougar Aquatics (Pullman, Wash.), Ellensburg Area Swim Team (Ellensburg, Wash.), La Grande Swim Club (La Grande, Ore.), Lewis-Clark Neptunes (Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Wash.), Manta Ray Aquatics (Moses Lake, Wash.), Pendleton Swim Association (Pendelton, Ore.), Sandpoint Sharks Swim Club (Sandpoint, Idaho), Spokane Sea Serpents (Spokane, Wash.), Spokane Waves Aquatics (Spokane, Wash. and Cheney, Wash.), Tri-Cities Channel Cats (Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick, Wash.), Vandal Aquatic Club (Moscow, Idaho), Velocity Swimming (Wenatchee, Wash.), Walla Walla Swim Club (Walla Walla, Wash.) and the Yakima YMCA Swim Team (Yakima, Wash.).
Along with one coach from Spokane and one from the Tri-Cities, Sandpoint Sharks Swim Club head coach Emily Renzini was lucky enough to be chosen to attend the meet, represent the IES, and of course, cheer on Jensen.
“Making this meet is a big deal,” coach Renzini said. “We are selecting the top athletes from each LSC (Local Swimming Committee) to represent our team. I am really proud of Myelle for never giving up and giving it her all when she races.”
Jensen placed 10th out of 47 swimmers in the preliminary round of the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:13.77. In the B finals, she placed second in her section and 10th overall with a time of 1:12.65. In the 50-meter backstroke, Jensen placed fifth out of 44 swimmers in the preliminary round with a time of 33.60 seconds. In the A finals, she swam to a fourth place overall finish in 33.19 seconds.
Jensen also qualified and swam in the 50-meter freestyle (40th out of 68 in 31.14) , the 200-meter individual medley (21st out of 48 in 2:44.95), the 50-meter butterfly (34th out of 59 in 33.24) and the 100-meter freestyle (17th out of 65 in 1:05.38).
“Not only does she represent her team with her fast swims, but she is a good sport out of the water and is there to support her competition after each of her races,” coach Renzini said. “She is one of those athletes where she gets behind the block and no one is going to stop her racing until the finish. I couldn't be more proud and fortunate enough to be her coach.”