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GREENWICH, Conn. Meghan Lynch won nine gold medals and the Greenwich YWCA Dolphins Swim Team went on to claim at total of 79 medals combined at the Connecticut 8-and-under State Championships and the Wilton YMCA Spring 9-and-under Invitational.
The 8-and-under State Championship Meet, held at the Greenwich YMCA pool, featured more than 200 swimmers from 22 teams competing in 39 events.
At the 8-and-under meet, Lynch, 8, took individual state titles in the 50-yard free; 100 free, 50 breast and 100 indiviudal medley. Lynch also swam on the squad's winning 100 free relay, combining with Avery Sammons, Ursula Wise and Samantha Ennis, all 8, to post more than a two-second victory margin, at 1:03.20. In the 100 medley relay, the same quartet won by more than six seconds, at 1:12.73.
Other Dolphin gold medalists at the meet included Patrick Mullen, 7, who claimed four medals in the 7-year-old class. Mullen captured the 25 free, back, breast and fly races with times of 16.60, 20.00, 22.28 and 20.07, respectively.
Reilly Traynor, 7, claimed three golds in the 7-year-old girls class, with wins in the 25-free, back and butterfly events. Gavin West, 8, claimed titles in the 25 free, fly and 100 IM. Avery Sammons, 8, took individual golds in the 25 free and breast.
Other Dolphins winners included Samantha Ennis, 8, in the 8-year-old 25 fly; Alexander Hazlett, 8, in the 8-and-under 50 back; Nicholas Malchow in the 8-year-old 25 breast; and Alex Plavoukos in the 8-and-under 50 butterfly.
The Dolphins' 8-and-under boys 100-yard free relay won with Hazlett, Malchow, Plavoukos and West. The same group won the 100 medley relay.
Dolphin silver and bronze medalists at the 8-and-under State Championships included: Lilly Bjerke, Tomas Delgado, Juan and Ivanna de Bonilla, Isabelle Malchow, Jaden Nygaard, Jordan Rogers, Zoe Sorenson and Alexander Ye.
At the Wilton YMCA 9-and-under Spring Invite, Lynch was perfect with four individual golds in the 8-year-old class, winning the 25-yard free, 25 breast, 50 free and 100 individual medley.
The meet, which featured 44 events and more than 200 swimmers from six regional clubs, saw Lynch combined with Ursula Wise, Samantha Ennis and Isabelle Malchowto take gold in the 8-and-under 100 medley relay.
Also collecting individual gold were Samantha Ennis, 8, who took the title in the 25 fly; Alexander Hazlett, 8, who won the 8-and-under 50 free; and Isabelle Malchow, 7, won the 25 free for 7-year-olds. Zoe Sorenson, 7, took the 7-year-old 25 butterfly and Gavin West won the 8-year-old 25 free.
Other Dolphins claiming at least one silver or bronze medal in the invitational were: Jesse Boolbol, Nicole Boutry, Elaina Cummiskey, Tomas Delgado, Juan and Ivanna de Bonilla, Clemmie Galliano, Maddie Haley, Lilly Hopper, Nicholas Malchow, Isabelle McDonough, James O'Malley, Alex Plavoukos, Daniela Pompa, Marcela Winget and Ursula Wise.
"This was about as good a pair of meets that you could have," said Dolphins coach Nick Cavataro. "Combined, we had over 50 swimmers and returned with great results from everyone and really capped a great short course season for this age group."
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