ISST - More ISA records fall

The International School of Brussels and the British School of Brussels recently co-hosted the 34th and last ISST championships. The league is breaking off into two different leagues next year, making this the last meet with 14 teams participating.

ISST awards their team championship in a different way than other leagues, with overall scoring place determining team champion instead of most points. ISST has four divisions (Junior Varsity defined as being 14 years old on September 1 Girls and Boys, Varsity, 15 years old and over Girls and Boys) with a team champion being named in each. In the overall championship race, the top two teams didn’t win a single division, but were strong over all four. ACS Cobham took the team title by finishing

The focus in this summary is primarily on the Varsity divisions. The American School of London girls dominated again, setting new ISST records in a few events and running away with the team title. They took first in every single event, putting up 1-2 finishes in 3 of the events and setting new ISST records in 7 of the events, including both relays. Ally Larson and Anna Podurgiel both took three individual titles. Larson’s time in the 100 Free and 200 IM both set new ISA overall record’s. In the 100 Free she posted a time of 55.71 while in the 200 IM she shattered the old record with a 2:13.57. She set a new ISST records in her third event, falling just short of the ISA record in the 100 Breast (1:11.68). Podurgiel also broke an ISA all conference record in the 200 Free with a time of 2:02.78. She added an ISST record in the 100 Back (1:02.67) to go along with her title in the 50 Free (26.87). Lauren Brantley led a 1-2 100 Fly finish for ASL, taking the title in 1:03.65 ahead of Athena Lambropoulos in 1:07.68. Brantley was runner up to Larson in the 100 Breast (1:15.30) and 200 IM (2:22.15). Those four swimmers combined to set new ISST records in both relays. In the 200 Medley Relay, they posted a time of 2:01.82 while in the 200 Free Relay they hit the wall in a 1:48.94.

200 Free - Anna Podurgiel - 2:02.78*

100 Breast - Ally Larson 1:11.68*, Lauren Brantley - 1:15.30

100 Fly - Lauren Brantley 1:03.65, Athena Lambropoulos - 1:07.68

50 Free - Anna Podurgiel - 26.87

200 Medley Relay - 2:01.82* (Podurgiel, Larson, Brantley, Lambropoulos)

100 Free - Ally Larson - 55.71*

100 Back - Anna Podurgiel - 1:02.67*

200 IM - Ally Larson - 2:13.57*, Lauren Brantley 2:22.15

200 Free Relay - 1:48.94* (Podurgiel, Brantley, Lambropoulos, Larson)

The men’s meet was a bit more balanced, with swimmers from five different school taking titles. but still saw co-hosts take the title relatively easily. Sean Niewold was the only multi event winner, taking three titles. He set new ISST records in the 100 Free (51.78) and 200 Free (1:54.55) along with a title in the 100 Fly (57.79) less than a tenth ahead of Cyril Hanson from St. Johns. Hanson took a title of his own in the 200 IM, finishing in 2:09.83. Other winners were Matthew O’Sullivan from ACS Cobham in the 100 Breast (1:06.75), Max Anderson from British School of Brussels in the 50 Free (25.32) and Jackson Olin from the American School in London in the 100 Back (58.99). The British School of Brussels took both relays, with the team of Sean Axe, Milan Rasche, Max Anderson & Ewan Cook taking the 200 Medley Relay by .02 over the British School of the Netherlands 1:56.44 to 1:56.46. The BSB team of Milan Rasche, Vincent Rasche, Ewan Cook, Max Anderson took the 200 Free Relay in a time of 1:41.43.

200 Free - Sean Niewold - 1:54.55* BSN

100 Breast - Matthew O’Sullivan - 1:06.75 COB

100 Fly - Sean Niewold - 57.79 (Cyril Hanson STJ 57.88) 4 under 1:00

50 Free - Max Anderson - 25.32 BSB

200 Medley Relay - BSB - 1:56.44 (Sean Axe, Milan Rasche, Max Anderson & Ewan Cook)

100 Free - Sean Niewold - 51.78* BSN

100 Back - Jackson Olin - 58.99 ASL

200 IM - Cyril Hanson - 2:09.83 STJ

200 Free Relay - BSB 1:41.43 (Milan Rasche, Vincent Rasche, Ewan Cook, Max Anderson)