By Krystle Bono, Submitted Photos
Chincoteague High School senior athlete, Lauren Johnston, competed in her last regional swim meet Feb. 7, in Richmond, and represented the Ponies to an impressive first-place finish in the girls 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.18 seconds.
Johnston earned a second-place finish in the girls 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1.02.14. She was out-touched for the top spot by just one-third of a second by her first-place finishing opponent.
Johnson was the only swimmer representing Chincoteague this year and held an undefeated record at all of her duel meets this season. Although Johnston qualified in several events for the state championship meet Feb. 14, for personal reasons, she chose not to advance.
During her junior season, Johnston qualified for the state meet at the regional level in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.58 seconds, placing her seventh overall.
She also qualified in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:03.44, taking second place.
Johnston went on to compete at the state finals, swimming to a third-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly, thus earning eighth for the 50-yard freestyle.
During Johnston’s sophomore season, she finished third in the girls 100-yard butterfly and fifth in the girls 200 individual medley at the state level.
