Matt Roe qualifies for national swim events
By JOHN GALBREATH Sports Editor
Stanwood High’s Matt Roe has qualified in several events for both the Senior and Junior swim nationals to be held in Irvine, California this coming August. PHOTO BY JOHN GALBREATH | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
Matt Roe, the standout junior swimmer for Stanwood High School, has added another pair of significant accomplishments to his already outstanding swimming career.
During the first day of competition at the 34th Annual Spring Thunderbird Aquatic Club swim meet in Anacortes, he bettered the national qualifying time for the 800-meter, short-course freestyle by over two seconds. As a result, he will be competing in not only the USA Swimming Junior Nationals but has qualified to participate in the prestigious senior nationals as well.
On August 7, he will swim the 1500-meter freestyle in the senior nationals in Irvine, Calif., and then will follow that up one week later by swimming the 400- and 800-meter freestyle at the junior nationals in Irving.
In the hierarchy of USA Swimming, only the Olympic Trials, held every four years to select the U.S. Olympic team, are more esteemed events than the senior nationals.
During the Thunderbird meet, Matt was awarded 15-and-over boys’ High Point based on his victories in the 100, 200, and 800 freestyles and 200 breast stroke, along with second place finishes in the 100 breast- and 100 backstroke. His 800 freestyle time of 8:17.12 was also a Pacific Northwest Swimming Association 17-18 year old record by over twelve seconds.
Matt swims year round for Cascade Swim Club in Seattle.
