Othello swimmer swims all-American times

ELLENSBURG - Othello High School swimmer Natalie Ruiz earned two first-place finishes at the district swimming championships last weekend in Ellensburg.

Because Othello does not have a swimming program, Ruiz has been swimming cooperatively with the Moses Lake High School swim and dive team.

In Ruiz's first event, she won the 50-yard freestyle event with a time of 23.52.

Ruiz's time set both the district and the 2A Washington State records in the event.

In the 100-yard backstroke, Ruiz's other district winning event, Ruiz also set district and 2A Washington state records with a time of 57.36.

Both of these record-setting times were automatic all-American times, Moses Lake head coach Tony St. Onge said.

"All-American time standards are based on the top-20 times in the nation from the previous year," he said.

While Ruiz swam all-America qualifying times, St. Onge said her national standing remains unknown.

"We will find out at the end of the school year where Natalie finished," he said.

With her record-breaking times, Ruiz was voted the Eastern Washington 2A swimmer of the year.