By Tadzio Garcia
The swim and dive team began South Conference play with two wins against Rio Hondo and host Los Angeles Trade Tech colleges Friday Feb. 27 in double dual meet competition.
The Huskies defeated Rio Hondo 154-68 and crosstown rival Trade Tech 154-33.
The Huskies compete in the Chaffey Invitational at Riverside Community College on March 6, at 1 p.m. and on March 7 with a start time of 9 a.m.
Eight Huskies swam 14 personal best times at Trade Tech while seven competed in seven events for the first time this season.
“We had a good dual meet with many personal bests so early in the season,” ELAC Head Coach Erik Matheson said. “This is a good (preview) for the season from our first dual meet of the year.”
East Los Angeles College sophomore Beisi Li won three events, the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke events and the 200 individual medley. All of her wins were personal best times.
Teammate and freshman Wendy Centeno also took first place in three events. She won the 1,000-yard freestyle and the 500-yard free swimming. She competed in both events for the first time this season.
Centeno swam a personal best in the 200-yard backstroke.
All-American and sophomore Alice Fei Zhang won the 50-yard free and swam a personal record while winning the 100 back.
Other personal best times came from freshmen Ashley Alfaro (100 free, 200 back), Sarina Almengor (200 breaststroke, 200 individual medley), Brandy Macias (200 and 100 free) and Julia Soto (100 butterfly).
Freshman Yvonne Young won the 200 fly also with a personal best time.
ELAC freshman Ameyali Martinez won her initial first place finish for the Huskies, which was in the 200 free. She also competed in the event for the first time this season.
Teammate and freshman Alex Reyes swam in three new events and brought home two second place wins (1,000 and 500 free) and a fourth place (200 IM).
“I just swim my best in every event,” Reyes said.
The Huskies won 400 free relay race. Martinez swam the first four laps followed by Macias, Young and Zhang who swam the final four lap leg.
The ELAC diving team of freshmen Ashley Cortez and Vivian Huynh did not compete due to technical difficulties with the Trade Tech diving board. The two will compete during the Friday session at the Chaffey Invitational.