The GMC Girls’ Swimming Championships was held on Friday January 30th at the Perth Amboy YMCA. East Brunswick High School walked away with their second consecutive win in the tournament in two years.
The Greater Middlesex Conference is an athletic conference in which 33 public and private high-schools in the Middlesex County area participate in athletically. Winning a tournament in any sport category can up your school’s ranking and even your own personal ranking, with special awards given out during a sports season. Colleges also come to scout schools that tend to have ranked players within the GMC’s.
Colonia High School’s Freshman Monika Burzynska opened many eyes at the GMC’s. Coming in ahead of Katrina Kuhn, a senior at Bishop Ahr and defending champion of the 100y Butterfly meet record, Burzynska knocked the senior’s record time of 58.03 as she recorded another first-place finish in the 100y Butterfly ( 57.43.) Burzynska also set a record for the 100y Backstroke ending with 57.43; the former record was 58.03.
Monika Burzynska in her 100y Butterfly, at Raritan Bay YMCA, Perth Amboy.
When asked about her experience at the GMC championship, Monika Burzynska stated, “I was beyond thrilled when I found out I broke two GMC records, doing that opened up a lot of opportunity for me as an athlete.” Burzynska is also the first person from Woodbridge Township to qualify for MOC (Meet of Champions). She will be one of few Freshman going to compete against Juniors and Seniors. Burzynska also said, “Standing on the first place podium after all my events felt like such an honor, it was one of my happiest days to date. That’s the great thing about swimming, it pays off in the end.”
Overall, Burzynska felt as though her experience was one not many Freshman get to experience, and was glad her teammates were there to support her along her way.
Coach Chang, a former swim coach of Woodbridge High school and current Colonia High School Swim coach stated, “There are some extremely competitive schools in the GMC. But the stakes were higher than ever because I have never went into the GMC’s with a swimmer who was seeded first in any event.”
Chang believes that, “the swim team will continue to grow and thrive as individual student-athletes as well as a team.” Chang hopes to see more student-athletes try out for the team in future years.
