Hellenthal sets two school records at state meet

Hawkeye junior finishes sixth in 100 backstroke, 10th in 100 freestyle

(Thomas Hellenthal takes the podium Saturday at the state swimming championship for the 100 backstroke. Contributed photo.)

BOYS SWIMMING
NYSPHSAA Championship

In his second trip to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association swimming championship, Cooperstown junior Thomas Hellenthal finished in the top 10 in both of his events, breaking two school records in the process Saturday, March 8, at Ithaca College.

Hellenthal made the podium in the 100 backstroke, finishing sixth in the state with a time of 51.15. He broke the Cooperstown record for the event (51.38), set by Ted Mebust in 2018.

Hellenthal finished 10th in the state in the 100 freestyle, finishing in 47.16. He broke the school record from Sean Mebust (47.39), set in 2015. Hellenthal tied that record three weeks earlier at the Section III Championship in Nottingham on Feb. 12.

In 2024, Hellenthal placed 35th in the state in the 100 backstroke, finishing in 54.69.

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