View photos/Mike Griffin Pueblo West's Karlee Canfield swims the 200 butterfly at Rocky Ford. Canfield finished first overall among 13-14-year-old girls at the meet.

Canfield qualifies for Junior Olympics in butterfly

Swimming 'family' heads into league meet at County High School

By MIKE GRIFFIN
The Pueblo West View

There already are two Canfields swimming successfully for the Pueblo West High School Cyclones, but the next one in line intends to make a splash of her own.

Karlee Canfield, who is 13 and going into eighth grade, qualified for the Colorado Junior Olympics with her performance in the 100 butterfly last weekend when the Pueblo West Swim Club traveled to Rocky Ford.

It didn't come as a big surprise to Canfield.

"I was pretty close all along," she said.

Canfield's brother, Taylor, swims for the Cyclones and her sister, Nikki, swims for the Lady Cyclones. But Karlee doesn't plan to spend time in anybody's shadow.

"Nikki doesn't want me to beat her times, but I know I will," she said.

Canfield (Karlee) took first place overall among 13-14-year-old girls at the meet, and she wasn't alone.

Keifor Beauchamp finished first among 11-12 boys, winning six events. Ross Golob and Hunter Rice (each 8 years old) tied for third in their division, and Paige McMahan recorded six personal-bests.

Some of the high school swimmers made strides as well. Lynne McMahan beat her high-school best time in the 100 backstroke, and finished 4th among girls 15 and over.

Tim Custard hit his personal best in the 400 freestyle.

The Stingrays finished second to Salida in division three, though they juggled their lineup and tried everything possible to come out on top on the final day.

Coach Gwen Steves said that while swimming generally is an individual sport for the most part, her athletes were coming together in an effort to bring home a team title.

The Stingrays will be at it again this weekend during the league meet at County High School.

For Canfield, the Junior Olympics - which will be held the last weekend of July at the Air Force Academy - is nothing new. Her memory of the last time she qualified, several years ago, is simple.

"It was scary," she said.

The Junior Olympics for swimming will be part of the Rocky Mountain State Games, which encompass a wide variety of sports. The size of the event can make it an intimidating environment.

Pueblo West's Paige McMahan swims the 100 freestyle at Rocky Ford. McMahan turned in six personal-best times at the meet.

Canfield is the only member of the swim club to qualify for the Junior Olympics this year, though a host of them have qualified for the state championships next February. Canfield said she prefers that competition over the Junior Olympics, because she'll only get to swim one event at the Junior Olympics.

The trio of Canfield swimmers is nothing unusual; the Stingrays are a family affair.

"I haven't seen a closer-knit group," Steves said.

"We're all a family," Lynne McMahan said.

Among the Pueblo West swim families are the Birks, the Canfields, the Grays, the Wards, the Bazaneles, the McMahans and many more. It's not unusual for two or more siblings to be competitive swimmers. Steves comes from a family of 11, all of whom swam.

"It's just a convenience," she said. "Mom couldn't drive all to different sports."

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