Swimming at the Santa Clara International Invitational in early June, AquaSol’s Mikaela Macklin, an El Dorado High senior, swam to a lifetime best 2:23.21-second time in the 200-meter women’s individual medley at the George Haines International Swim Center.

The 43rd annual event hosted 150 teams representing 10 different countries. Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps competed and broke the meet record in the 200 butterfly.

Mikaela

Macklin, 16, also posted season-best times in her other events: 27.58 in the 50 freestyle; 1:15.05 in the 100 breastroke; 2:39.35 in the 200 breaststroke; 1:00.62 in the 100 free; 1:09.03 in the 100 backstroke; and 1:05.16 in the 100 fly.

“This was one of the most competitive Grand Prix Meets that I have seen,” AquaSol coach Steve Skidmore said. “Mikaela competed very well against the world’s best swimmers including world record holder Stephanie Rice of Australia. Mikaela finished ahead of Margaret Hoelzer of Seattle, who is the current world record holder in the 200 backstroke.”

Two weeks later at the Summer Sanders Long Course Invitational in Roseville, Macklin joined 13 AquaSol teammates and took first place in three events: the 200 breast (2:40.79), the 100 breast (1:14.61) and a lifetime best of 1:04.16 in the 100 butterfly. She was also third in the 50 free with a time of 27.35.

In all, 285 swimmers competed from 28 teams from all over California.

Swimming in his first long-course meet, Aaron Vaccano placed fifth in the 50 free (25.21), 12th in the 100 fly (1:02.99), 18th in the 100 back (1:06.99) and 19th in the 100 free (57.61).

Coleman Goode achieved a new USA Sectional cut in the 400 IM in 4:59.04 to place 11th. He was 11th in the 200 IM (2:21.31), eighth in the 100 breast (1:12.07), ninth in the 200 breast (2:38.75) and 11th in the 100 back (1:07.09).

Kevin Mertz posted a new personal best in the 800 free with a time of 9:10.87, good for 27th place. He was 23rd in the 400 free (4:31.45), 17th in the 200 fly (2:23.05) and 25th in the 100 fly (1:05.19).

Morgan Lloyd was 15th in the 200 fly (2:20.90) and 20th in the 100 fly (1:01.00).

Also participating for AquaSol were Hannah Sparkman, Quinn Beattie, Kirstie Sanew, Lauren Sanew, Travis Marshall, Riley Heryet, Emily Thompson, Grant Thompson and Mikaela Fuller.

Meet Results