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Best of Sports, Girls Swimming: Sylvia Roy, Mt. Lebanon

By Eleanor Bailey 3 min read
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Sylvia Roy shows off the gold medal she won during the WPIAL swimming championships. The Mt. Lebanon junior won the 50-yard freestyle for the third year in a row.

Sylvia Roy has been on a tight, but busy swimming schedule. The Mt. Lebanon junior has competed in four major meets in the past four months, accomplishing much from astonishing times to participating in the U.S. Olympic Trials.

During the PIAA Class 3A Championships held in March at Bucknell University, Roy managed a feat that rivaled the achievement of Roger Bannister.

While Bannister was the the first runner to complete a mile run in four minutes or less in 1954, Roy became the first female Pennsylvania scholastic swimmer to complete the 100-yard backstroke in 53 seconds or less. In defending her title, she clocked a 52.90. The time shattered the state record of 53.08 set in 2014 by Hershey’s Meaghan Raab. The mark was also nearly two seconds faster than silver medalist Alexa Conner from Lower Merion.

“We knew that state record was possible but we knew she also had to go 52,” said Lebo coach Tom Donati. “That’s a big barrier. Like the four-minute mile.”

“We saw she was going to win and we knew that she would be close. When she hit the wall, everybody was like ‘Wow, unbelievable,’ when the announcer said that’s a state record. To hear that is such a rush. It was so emotional but Sylvia’s just like steady Eddie. She just gets ready for her next one.”

Roy’s next race was the 200-meter backstroke. She traveled to Buffalo and earned a qualifying time for the U.S. Olympic Trials. She already met the standard in the 100 for the national competition to select the team to compete in Paris.

During the Olympic Trials, held June 15-23 in Indianapolis, Roy finished 20th overall in the 100-meter back with a personal record time of 1.00.95. She was .24 away from making the semifinals. She also competed in the 200 back.

During the PIAA Championships, Roy just missed being a two-time champion when State College sophomore Molly Workman won the 50 freestyle in 22.67 seconds. Roy took silver for the second year in a row with a 22.90 mark.

She also helped the Blue Devils clean up in the 200 free relay. She combined with Lillyan Evan, Helen Albu and Ellie Rienhart for a sixth-place medal.

During the WPIAL Championships, Roy won two individual gold medals and anchored two medal-winning relays for the Blue Devils. The University of Virginia recruit won her third straight titles in the 50 free and 100 back. She anchored the medley and 200 free relays to silver and fourth-place medals, respectively.

HONOREES

Amanda Aidar, senior, Upper St. Clair

Kaitlyn Connors, senior, Upper St. Clair

Ava Komoroski, freshman, Peters Township

Natalie Noll, junior, Ringgold

Lauren Opitz, junior, Peters Township

Zoe Poe, senior, South Fayette

Ellie Reinhart, senior, Mt. Lebanon

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