Belle Vernon Area’s Shahan breaks records at WCCA championships

By Andrew John

Trib Total Media

Heading into the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming and diving championships, Belle Vernon junior Ian Shahan and Mt. Pleasant senior Heather Gardner had their sights on reaching the record books.

The pair certainly left their mark, combining to break three meet records and nearly breaking a fourth Saturday at Derry.

Shahan, the reigning WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A champion in the 100-yard butterfly and 100 freestyle, smashed the butterfly record set in 2017 by Derry’s Zach Baum (51.62) by more than a second with a time of 50.37. Shahan was almost three seconds ahead of Franklin Regional senior Elias Holm (53.30).

The 100 butterfly record was Shahan’s second of the meet. In the 50 freestyle, Shahan touched with a time of 20.95, just .06 seconds ahead of Norwin senior Ethan Tulenko (21.01). Shahan broke the mark of 21.29 set last year by Gavin Mayo of Hempfield.

“I think I did everything right,” Shahan said. “There are definitely the little things that I need to work on. My start wasn’t good in my 50, and it almost cost me the race. My starts and my underwaters really need to be worked on.”

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