[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n July 25, the Westchester County Swimming Association kicked off its 91st annual County Championships at Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester. Over the next two weeks, swim and dive teams from all across the area will vie for a county championship, but on the event’s opening day, it was Rye resident Devon Ott who shined the brightest, as the diver set a new county record with a terrific performance.
Ott, diving for the Shenorock Shore Club, scored an impressive 214.30 on Monday, which was enough for a first-place finish in the 13U division and shattered the previous record of 205.25, which was set by Westchester Country Club’s Carolina Sculti in 2012.
The Shenorock diver has been competing at Counties for the past three years.
“I’m really happy, I expected to make it, but I didn’t expect to get first,” she said. “I felt like I had a good chance, but I wasn’t quite sure.”
According to the 13U champ, it was especially important to execute correctly on Monday because of the stiff competition. Ott’s Shenorock teammate Riley Vincent took fourth place with a score of 150.80, Yasmin Hill from the Briarcliff Country Club placed third with a score 153.20, and Scarsdale’s Madelyn Seltzer took Ott right to the limit, scoring 212.60.
“Maddy and I both dive at the Greenwich YMCA and we’ve both been diving competitively for three years now,” Ott said. “We’re close friends too, and we’ve been so supportive of each other, so it’s been really fun.”
If Ott’s performance represented the pinnacle of success at Counties, however, there are a number of other divers looking to eventually make their mark on the competition.
Lauren DeLucia, 11, from Lewisboro, entered into Monday’s event as the day’s youngest participant and finished ninth with a score of 138.35. She said she was happy with her first experience at the County Championships and hopes to do better next year.
“I think I did well for my age,” DeLucia said. “I finished ninth and the top eight get medals so next year, I’m going to work harder to get a better place.”
The results were announced for the girls’ competition on Monday, and the boys’ competition resumed the next day due to the rain. August Hibler from Pound Ridge won the boys 13U.
The 14 to 17 divers competed on July 26, after press time, and the swimming portion of the County Championships will be held on Aug. 1 to Aug. 5 at the Rye Playland pool.
As dive champs, both Hibler and Ott have earned the chance to head to Playland and cheer on their teammates next week.
“I’m excited,” Ott said. “I’m excited to see what happens next and everything that goes forward.”
