Two of Hialeah Miami Lakes High’s top swimmers won the state championships over the weekend.
Junior Jocelyn Ruiz and senior Luis Salazar competed in the Class 3A swimming and diving state championships at the Sailfish Splash Waterpark and Aquatics Center in Stuart, Florida.
Ruiz won the Class 3A state championship in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke. Salazar won the Class 3A state title in the 100-yard butterfly.
It was Ruiz’s third trip to the state tournament, while Salazar got his taste at state action.
The victories come on the heels of Ruiz capturing regional championship in the 100-yard butterfly (59.58) and 100-yard backstroke (101.33).
Salazar finished in third place at the regionals with a time of 54.63 which qualified him for the state meet.
Their coach, Frank Rocha, said the two student-athletes are “great” swimmers and reaching the state tournament solidifies their place as among the top high-school swimmers in Florida.
Salazar and Ruiz were among the 1,544 who qualified to compete in the districts, regionals and state championships.
Rocha said Salazar and Ruiz are members of a swimming club, Blue Marlin of Hialeah Gardens, where they compete year around. Rocha said the club competition helped enhance their skills that landed them in the state tournament.
“In school competition, they compete for one season but they compete year around in the swimming club,” Rocha said.
“The more events they take part in the better their skills are in swimming.” Rocha said Ruiz is perhaps the best swimmer he had ever coached at HML.
As a freshmen, Ruiz won the district championship and fell short of winning the state championship in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke events.
During her sophomore year, she repeated her succeess in district and regionals competitions and finished among the best 48 high-school swimmers at the state tournament.
Rocha said Salazar and Ruiz are good students as well.
He said Ruiz currently maintains a 3.6 GPA and Salazar has a 3.8 GPA.