VALENCIA – Competing against some of the top swimmers in the nation, Paseo Aquatics placed 11th in the Men’s Division at the Speedo Winter Junior National West Swimming Championships, setting 15 team records and 12 personal-best times at the event held on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin.

More than 200 top teams and coaches earned the right to attend the invitational meet with swimmers needed a meet qualifying time that places them in the upper 10 percent of all swimmers nationwide. Paseo finished third among Southern California swimming clubs.

“It’s all part of our team culture,” said Paseo Aquatics head coach Chris Dahowski. “I watched these athletes daily pushing each other to that next level of swimming. Their commitment across the board was obvious. There was just this mystery of silence, poise and confidence amongst them as the stood as a team and rose to the occasion when it mattered the most.”

Dahowski reported that Paseo narrowly missed placing in the Top 10 in the men’s division with 100 total points.

“These kids earned every point they scored,” Dahowski added. “They raced their hearts out daily fighting to be in the scoring rounds of top 16. At this caliber of swimming, it does not come easy, but I knew we had a great group of kids and that we were going to do very well in the relays and steal points from teams that were seeded better than we were. And we did!”

Bryce Halterman placed fifth overall in the 100 fly and earning a spot in USA swimming All-Time Top 100 Age Group Swims in the 17-18 age category.

Dahowski said Paseo’s relay results were what led them to the 11th-place finish. Halterman, Luke Bezanilla, Thomas Hadji and Michael Andrizzi finished 14th in the men’s 200 Medley Relay, but that was only the start.

“The 200 Medley Relay got us some points but at 14th it put them outside of the coveted Junior National Medals which go out to Top 8 team,” Dahowski said. “I could see it in their eyes and their demeanor that this was not enough. I also knew that the training was there.”

Dahowski was right as Paseo went on to take fourth overall in the men’s 200 Free Relay, sixth in the 400 Free Relay and seventh in the 400 Medley Relay. What is most amazing about this feat is their highest pre-meet ranking in any of these relays was 35th place.

Paseo Aquatics will be celebrating its 11th year of existence in 2022.

To learn more about Paseo Aquatics, go to www.paseoaquatics.org.