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Kaia Casey is one the most accomplished first year varsity swimmers that one could find.

She was in club swimming last year, and over the summer, she broke two state records in the 11-12 year old category, as well as swam all over the country.

So it’s no surprise that the eighth grader punched a ticket to the state meet in her first try at the Section 5A meet in Becker.

Casey saved her best for last, setting personal bests in both the 200 and 500 freestyler and  finishing in first place in both events on Saturday, November 9, and that allows her to swim at the state meet at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on University of Minnesota’s campus this weekend.

Not only did she qualify, but Casey is seeded third in the 500 freestyle. Her seed time is 5:10.31 in the event, while Emma Rudowsky of Benilde-St. Margaret’s is second at 5:08.72 and Visitation’s Katie Miller is tops with a seed of 5:04.19. Rudowsky is a junior and Miller is a senior.

Casey comfortably won the 500 free event in sections with the 5:10. Second place Grace Mork of Becker finished in 5:17.09.

The 200 freestyle is a bit bigger field, and Casey is in the thick of that one as well. She should compete for a finals spot. Her seed is 1:57.12, which is seventh best, but in a shorter race, there is a better chance to move up or down with a good or bad day.

Things were a bit closer in the section race in the 200, but it was again Mork, who is only a freshman, that was her chief competition. Casey won the event with a time of 1:57.12, while Mork was in second with a time of 1:58.09.

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