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MHS grad sets state swimming record

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  • Wes Bloomquist •
  • Originally published July 26, 2008 at 10:59 p.m., updated July 26, 2008 at 10:59 p.m.

SAN ANTONIO - Jon Walden added to his collection of gold medals and swimming records Saturday at the Games of Texas.

Walden, who graduated from Memorial in 2005, took first place in the men’s 18-24-year-olds 50-yard freestyle in a record time of 21.73 at Palo Alto College to defend his title.

“It really didn’t feel like I was going so fast,” said Walden who is now 21 and a senior at Texas State University. “I had really good competition and I think that helped me. I was really one of those outside guys who had a chance to win it. I had a good start and had a good turn. I’m not much for turns, but I had a good one.”

The previous record came in 2004 as Lake Jackson’s Matt Broussard swam a 22.04 in the event.

Walden came into Saturday’s swim seeded fourth but also as the two-time defending champion. Walden set the meter record at the Games of Texas in Cedar Park last year. Joshua Pena of Frisco took second, and also broke the yards record with a swim of 22.03.

Walden went on to add a silver medal in the 50 backstroke and a silver in the 50 butterfly. Walden finished the 50 backstroke in 27.85, while touching the wall in 24.40 in the 50 butterfly. Victoria’s Justin Mathiljohni took ninth in the 50 backstroke with a swim of 33.23. Mathiljohni also finished 10th with a swim of 32.57 in the 50 backstroke and 13th in the 100 IM.

Along with Walden, area swimmers continued to pick up medals at the games.

El Campo’s Davis Stockton took second in the boys 8 & Under 25 backstroke with a time of 19.22, while Victoria’s Hunter Kvinta finished 22nd in the event. Stockton also claimed third with a time of 1:43 in the 100 IM.

Staying in the boys 8 & Under division, Bay City’s Matthew Niles finished 10th in the 25 breaststroke and Tristen Pruitt 12th.

Victoria’s Holden Lauer finished 21st with a swim of 19.40 in the 25 freestyle and Pruitt 26th.

In the women’s 18-24-year-olds 50 freestyle, Barbara Sherman of Bay City took 12th and Victoria’s Nancy Parma 17th. Parma also finished 11th in the 100 freestyle, while Jennifer Parma finished 12th in the same event.

Hope Williams of El Campo claimed second in the girls 8 & Under backstroke, and first in the 100 IM.

Williams claimed the gold with a swim of 1:26.74.

Bay City’s Dianne Stone finished second in the women’s 40 & Over 50 breaststroke. Stone’s time of 41.34 was just off Judy Young of New Braunfels who finished in 41.11. Barbara Sherman of Bay City finished seventh in the 200 freestyle in a time of 2:41.17.



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