Only 10 other swimmers have ever accomplished the same feat IU swim and dive signee Emily Weiss did at the 2018-19 Indiana state swimming championships.
Weiss became the 11th swimmer in Indiana history to ever win four state championships in the same event as she won the 100-yard breaststroke Saturday.
“It was bittersweet because I won four years in a row, and throughout my years in high school I’ve had the best support throughout the state along with the high school community,” Weiss said.
Weiss finished with a time of 58.91 seconds, just short of her own high school national record of 58.40 seconds. Though not a record-breaking time, the 58.91 mark is the fourth-fastest high school time ever in the 100-yard breaststroke, and faster than any time IU senior Lilly King swam in high school.
“There’s a little part of me that’s disappointed, but I believe that’s the competitor coming out,” Weiss said. “I was just happy to finish the best that I could. Now it’s back to the drawing board. I’ll put this behind me and continue training hard.”
Compared to college swimmers, Weiss’ state finals time would be the fifth-fastest in the nation this season and an NCAA B cut.
The result of the race was never in doubt, as Weiss took a big lead within the first 25 yards, and kept pulling further away in the remaining 75 yards.
Weiss also finished second in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:01.01.
As a result of her high school success, Weiss will serve as King’s “replacement” at IU, as King herself told the Indianapolis Star in 2017.
“It really hasn’t crossed my mind,” Weiss said of getting ready to join the Hoosiers in the fall. "However, it is coming a lot quicker than imagined. I’m going to get my butt kicked with their workouts but I’m so excited to work hard and be with that team.”
While Weiss headlined the day, Carla Gildersleeve, another IU signee, cracked the podium, as well. Gildersleeve, of Franklin Community High School, finished second in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 53.86 seconds. Kelly Pash, a Texas commit from Carmel High School, won that event.
