During both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events at Saturday’s Deerfield Sectional, Glenbrook North senior Sabrina Baxamusa didn’t know exactly how fast she was swimming.
“Some people can see around them when they’re racing, and see their competition, but in sprint events, for me, I don’t really notice anyone around me,” Baxamusa said. “But sometimes you can feel when you’re gliding through the water faster than you normally do.
“I was very happy with those races. Both of those times were faster than I’ve ever swam before.”
In qualifying for the two-day state meet beginning Friday at Evanston, Baxamusa’s times of 23.59 seconds in the 50 free and 51.60 in the 100 free were among the top five times in those events at any sectional in Illinois.
But then, it was a day of personal bests for the Spartans.
“We had a top-to-bottom great day,” Glenbrook North coach Robin Walker said.
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The Spartans’ advanced their relay teams in the 200 medley and 400 free to the state meet, and will have swimmers competing in six individual events.
Joining Baxamusa as individual qualifiers at the state meet are junior Natalie Horwitz in the 200 free (1:54.22), junior Tiffany Qiao in the 200 individual medley (2:08.49), junior Ellen Gilbert in the 100 butterfly (56.88), Qiao in the 100 fly (56.92) and senior Emily Clesen in the 100 backstroke (57.86).
Qiao, Horwitz, Gilbert and Baxamusa made up a 400 free relay team that swam a time of 3:31.07 — the sixth-fastest time posted at any sectional.
The relay team’s season best had been 3:40, according to Walker, and the state-qualifying standard was 3:35.73.
“So they had to drop five seconds, which is a lot for a 400 free, and they went 3:31,” Walker said. “You see (time) drops at the sectional, but not often like that one.”
The 400 free relay is Baxamusa’s favorite event to swim.
“It’s the last one to end the meet and it’s always exciting,” she said. “Our relays are great. I love the girls that are all on it and everyone was happy with it on Saturday.”
Horwitz shined in the 200 free, dropping five seconds off of her season-best time.
“I was a little surprised but for the whole season, I’ve been working towards it,” Horwitz said. “I’m just glad I got it done. I was surprised to be even with girls after 100 (yards) that were ranked several seconds faster than I had been. It was awesome to know all the work I put in paid off.”
Horwitz’s feat did more than advance her to the state meet.
“That helped set the tone for the whole team to get things rocking,” Walker said. “It was an eye-opener.”
The 200 medley relay team of Clesen, Gilbert, Qiao and Baxamusa finished third in 1:46.44.
Baxamusa finished first in the 100 free and second in the 50 free.
“She’s a wonderful person, great leader, humble and very strong,” Walker said of Baxamusa. “She’s the real deal where being an athlete is concerned. To watch her starts and turns, she has incredible leg strength and she’s just strong and powerful. On Saturday, there was no one touching her. She was dominant, at a sectional with a lot of great athletes present.”
Even more great athletes will be present at the state meet, but Baxamusa is ready.
“It’s a different environment than the sectional,” she said. “It’s very exciting and nerve-wracking, but having been there since freshman year I have a good understanding of what I’m going into on Friday.”
Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press