Martina Peroni left her mark on the state’s high school swimming scene in a major way, winning the 200 individual medley for the second time and taking top honors in the 100 butterfly in a school-, state- and pool-record time to headline area athletes at the OHSAA Swimming and Diving State Tournament Friday and Saturday at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium.
The senior won the 200 IM in 1:58.04 — a mark just a fraction of a second behind the state-record effort she won the same event with in 2021. Cincinnati St. Ursula’s Addie Robillard was a distant second, finishing in 2:01.72, while Gahanna Lincoln’s Marie Belli finished third in 2:03.15.
Peroni was just as dominant in the butterfly, taking top honors in 52.96 seconds while her teammate, Cameron Kuriger, closed third in the state with a time of 54.29 seconds.
Other area standouts who earned spots on the podium included Olentangy’s Anna McGrath and Delaware Hayes’ Kaitlyn Sallows.
McGrath finished seventh in the 200 free (1:51.90) while Sallows, just a freshman, showed just how bright her future is by finishing sixth in the 200 IM (2:05.40) and eighth in the 500 free (5:02.24).
In relay action, Olentangy’s girls reached the podium in the 200 freestyle relay (seventh in 1:36.43).
Finally, in the Division I 1-meter diving event, Olentangy Orange’s Augusta Ness was the lone qualifier from Delaware County, closing 12th with a score of 406.80. Buckeye Valley’s Sophia Stamm reached the podium in Division II, finishing fifth with a score of 405.95.
In boys’ action, Olentangy Liberty’s Hudson Williams earned a spot on the podium in two separate events. The junior won a state title in the 50 free (20.09 seconds) and closed third in the 100 backstroke (47.91 seconds).
Olentangy Berlin’s Brogan Robinson also earned all-state honors in a pair of events, finishing third in the 200 IM (1:49.62) and sixth in the 100 breaststroke (55.81 seconds).
In the relays, Olentangy Liberty finished fourth in the 200 medley relay (1:32.97) and eighth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:26.73) while the Patriots’ Anthony Scuilli finished fifth in the big division’s 1-meter diving event (460.80).