Brian Hagberg
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Warren’s Katie Beyer had herself quite the day during the PIAA 2A State Swimming Championships at Cumberland Valley High School Friday.
(Photo courtesy Warren Athletics Fund.)
Beyer took home the gold in the 200 Free and finished with a time of 1:53.06, just in front of Gwynedd Mercy’s Ella Gross (1:53.32).
She went out in the first 100 in 52.8 seconds, or just faster than the 53 seconds she went out in at the District 10 championships.
“It doesn’t even feel real,” Beyer said. “My strategy was to go out hard and once you’re ahead you have to stay ahead. That second 100 I just knew it I had to keep going.”
Beyer is the first swimmer in program history to win state gold, and just the second individual state champion in school history (Seth Meyers, 1991 high jump).
She then finished third and set a school record in the 100 Free later in the day. Her time of 52.22 was just behind that of champion Maura Fluehr’s (Springfield Township) 50.34 and Fairview’s Halle Myers (51.76).
“I was super happy about that race,” she said. “I gave it everything I had left in the tank. I was a little tired, but mostly just running on adrenaline.”
Her father, coach Russ Beyer, was equally excited.
“When we first got there I was probably more coach,” he said. “Then she got on the blocks and I was more parent. As the race was going on it was definitely all dad. She went out really hard to fend off that girl.”
Beyer also said he could hear how loud he was when his wife, Deanna, played back the video of the race.
“I wanted her to understand where she was and she had a good chance of winning,” coach Beyer said. “I was going to do my part to help will her to victory. I was excited for her.”
And he also thinks Katie’s success could help attract more athletes to Warren swimming.
“When they get older, they realize the benefits from the sport of swimming to build strength and endurance,” he said. “Talking with some of the other coaches at the pool deck, there’s a lot of good swimmers you can bring on and they do amazing.”
Andy Close contributed to this report.
