THORNTON – Madison Mintenko is feeling right at home in the VMAC. And rightfully so. The Pine Creek freshman made her debut at the Class 4A state swim meet in a big way, winning two freestyle state championships and establishing herself as one of the top young swimmers in the state.
She started her day off with a dominating performance in the 200-yard freestyle where her championship time of 1:49.41. Not bad for her first experience at a high school state swim meet, something she’s been preparing for her entire competitive swimming life.
“I think it’s better (than I thought it would be),” she said. “It’s so welcoming and I’ve seen a lot of people that I know from club, not just on my team but the whole high school area.”
For anyone tracking her success through the course of the season, her performance was far from a surprise. She had the slightest of hesitation getting off the masthead to start the 200 freestyle, but recovered quickly and settled into a groove.
After taking a definitive lead she focused on slicing through the water with a clean stroke that looked more like a junior who was defending a title rather than a freshman going for her first.
“I just have to remember that I’m really young and being here is a gift for me,” Mintenko said. “I’ve always wanted to compete in high school swimming and this is one my dreams. When I don’t have a perfect race, I need to remember that I have a million more to swim.”
Heck, she still had a few more to swim in the day. She followed up her performance in the 200 freestyle with a win in the 500 freestyle.
One championship win by a freshman is a thrilling moment that happens frequently at state swimming. Multiple wins is an indication that yet another dominant swimmer is making her way through the ranks.
“Her reputation preceded her,” coach Mark Hesse said. “Not only her, but the other freshmen we had coming was a strong freshman class. She’s capable of embracing everything and she’s relentless in the way she races.”
She anchored the 200 freestyle relay team that took third and then served as the first leg of the 400 relay team that finished second in the final race of the meet.
The Eagles third overall in the team standings behind state champion Heritage and Windsor. And that result is no coincidence considering Pine Creek’s blending of youth and talent that will serve as a standard for the program over the course of the next few seasons.
“There is a learning process for these kids,” Hesse said. “The intensity of racing four events in a short and the concept of the team being the primary thing, it’s a real learning process.”
But it’s one that Hesse’s young squad is figuring out very quickly. Although the Eagles won’t take home any team hardware, they’re more than encouraged by how they performed at the VMAC.
The sight of Mintenko on top of the podium more than once is far from an indication that a season is over. It’s more of a sign that the career of another high-level swimmer in Colorado has just begun.