Trio of local swimmers make waves at Western Age Group Zones

ELK GROVE, Calif. — Andrew Ford, Myelle Jensen and Allyson Ballard proudly represented the Sandpoint Sharks swim team at the Western Zone Age Group Long Course Championships held Wednesday, Aug. 6, through Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Elk Grove Aquatics Center.

The trio traveled as part of the Inland Empire Swimming (IES) team, joining just a handful of swimmers from the region's entire Local Swimming Committee (LSC) who were fast enough to qualify for this prestigious meet. Among some of the fastest swimmers across the western United States, all three swam to new personal bests, with Ford and Jensen hitting qualifying times for next year's Western Zone Senior Championships. They competed against athletes from Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

Ford, competing in the 13-14 boys age division, finished 17th out of 43 in the preliminary round of the 100-meter back (1:12.51) and 18th out of 35 in the preliminary round of the 200 back (2:40.94).

Jensen, competing in the 13-14 girls age division, finished 53rd out of 131 in the preliminary round of the 100 free (1:04.02), 72nd out of 110 in the preliminary round of the 200 free (2:23.34), 30th out of 97 in the preliminary round of the 200 individual medley (2:36.09) and 56th out of 121 in the preliminary round of the 50 free (29.85). Most impressively, she clinched the consolation final of the 100 back (1:09.49) after finishing 14th out of 75 in the preliminary round, following that up with a 10th-place finish overall with a mark of 1:08.69 — the third fastest time among 13-year-olds. 

Ballard, competing in the 11-12 girls age division, finished 22nd out of 72 in the preliminary round of the 100 free (1:05.54), 44th out of 69 in the preliminary round of the 200 free (2:28.89) and 35th out of 50 in the preliminary round of the 50 back (36.77). She also reached the consolation final of the 50 free (29.74) after finishing 11th out of 81 in the preliminary round, following that up with a 12th-place finish overall with a mark of 29.64 seconds.

Head coach Emily Renzini said their performances are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and focus throughout the season.

"As a coach, I couldn’t be prouder — not just of their times, but of the way they represented our team, IES, and our community," Renzini said. "Competing at this level requires months of early mornings, tough practices, and unwavering commitment. They met the challenge head-on and came home faster, stronger, and ready for the next step."

The Sharks family would like to congratulate Ford, Jensen, and Ballard on an outstanding meet and encourages everyone to give them a high-five the next time you see them around town.