Student Spotlight: Paseo Aquatics Relay Teams Set New Santa Clarita Marks at SoCal Junior Olympic Championships

Two Paseo Aquatics relay teams set new Santa Clarita Valley marks and several swimmers had notable performances at the recent Southern California Junior Olympic Championships at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center.
Facing some of the nation’s toughest competition, the 13-14 girls’ 200 Free relay swam the 2nd-fastest time in SoCal Swim history with a time of 1:35.70, also in the process they broke both a Paseo Aquatics and Santa Clarita Valley record. Team members included: Riley Botton, Teia Salvino, Sydney Zancanaro and Cameron Snowden. The previous record was held by Canyons Aquatics (1:37.86).
In addition, Salvino earned her winter Junior National time in the opening leg of the 50 free with a time of 23.45 in the 200 Free Relay.
In the same 13-14 200 Free Relay event on the boys’ side, the team made up of Michael Lee, Luke Bezanilla, Daniel Jo and Bryant Lee took fourth place, breaking a Santa Clarita Valley record with a time of 1:31.10.
Individually, all four of the girls made the finals in the 50 Free with Paseo placing three in the Top 10. Salvino led the way with her second-place finish with a time of 23.52. Botton tied for sixth (24:30), Zancanaro was 10th (24.82) and Snowden was 20th (25.53). In prelims, Snowden went a 24.80 to earn her first Sectionals time, which is the first stepping stone to national level swim meets.
In the Boys’ 50 free, two Paseo swimmers made the Top 15 overall with Lee placing second with a time of 21.88 and Bezanilla 14th at 23.17.
The Girls’ 13-14 400 Free Relay team was seeded fourth heading into the finals race but was able to improve on that with an outstanding second-place finish with a time of 3:33.86.
Botton was fourth overall in finals in the 13 to 14 200 free with a blistering time of 1:52.33. Botton finished sixth in the 13-14 girls’ 100 Free (51.92) while Salvino was just ahead of her in fifth at 51.75. Salvino turned in an impressive time of 2:07.15 in the 200 IM, good for fourth place.
In the boys’ 100 Fly final, Lee was also fourth overall with a time of 53.41 and fifth in the boys’ 100 free final with a time of 48.34 while Bezanilla was 16th (49.88).
Luke’s younger brother Bret Bezanilla finished third in the 10 and Under Free with a time of 1:04.10. The 7-10 boys’ 200 freestyle relay team placed in the top 16 with a time of 2:08.05. Joining Bret on that relay team were Ian Ma, Josiah Cerera, Chase Renno.