Como Park senior Aleia Lueck concluded her high school swimming career with an impressive performance at the Class A state swimming championships held on March 2, 2024. Lueck secured the title in the 50-yard freestyle with a remarkable time of 23.52 seconds, narrowly edging out Kaia Georges from Delano by six hundredths of a second. This victory marked a standout moment for Lueck, who had already shown her potential with a strong preliminary swim that set the stage for her championship performance.
In addition to her gold medal, Lueck also earned a silver in the 100 freestyle, finishing second with a time of 52.17 seconds. She was just 17 hundredths of a second behind Izzy Westling of St. Cloud Apollo, who claimed the top spot in that event.
Dominance from Mounds Park Academy
Another highlight of the event was Alaina Biebl of Mounds Park Academy, who exhibited her prowess by defending her title in the 100 backstroke. She dominated the race with a time of 56.73 seconds, winning by a substantial margin of eight-tenths of a second. Biebl’s success did not stop there; she also played a pivotal role in her team’s victory in the 200 medley relay. Competing alongside Isabella Muyres, Julia Anderson, and Josie MacDonald, Biebl helped her team secure the win, finishing nearly a second ahead of Visitation.
Biebl also competed in the 200 individual medley, where she placed third. The event was won by Merry Miller from Visitation, who clocked in at 2 minutes, 5.94 seconds, which was 22 hundredths of a second faster than Westling.
Aarness Shines in Diving
In the diving competition, Hastings junior Chloe Aarness built a commanding lead during the preliminary rounds and solidified her victory in the finals with a score of 465.40 points. This score placed her 18.6 points ahead of Bailey Monette from Westonka, earning Aarness the state diving title.
The overall team championship was claimed by Monticello, which amassed a total of 227 points. Visitation finished as the runner-up for the second consecutive year with 210 points, while the defending champions, Orono, placed third. Mounds Park Academy rounded out the top five, finishing in fifth place.
The state swimming championships showcased not only individual excellence but also the strength of teamwork and dedication across various schools, leaving a lasting impact on the athletes’ high school careers.
