HASA’s Blinkman shatters Minnesota medley record
Hudson Area Swim Association (HASA) swimmer Shane Blinkman shattered a 34-year-old Minnesota state swimming record in the 9/10 boys 100 yard individual medley last Sunday during a swim competition in Maple Grove.
- Shane Blinkman
Hudson Area Swim Association (HASA) swimmer Shane Blinkman shattered a 34-year-old Minnesota state swimming record in the 9/10 boys 100 yard individual medley last Sunday during a swim competition in Maple Grove.
Blinkman, 10, has been competing in the pool for a little less than two years, and has had his sights set on breaking this record for over nine months.
Two weeks ago, he beat the time at a meet in the Hudson Middle School, but the time was nullified on a technicality, by USA Swimming. While most would consider this a setback, Blinkman shrugged it off, already looking forward to his next competition.
As race time neared on Sunday, Blinkman stepped up to the blocks, physically and mentally prepared to do it again and make it official. With his HASA teammates cheering him on, he swam the 100 IM in a time of 1 minute, 4.48 seconds, beating the old record time of 1:06.12, set by Chris Baker in 1977, by 1.64 seconds.
With this time, it not only earns the young swimmer the Minnesota state record, but also the No. 1 spot in the 2011 national USA Swimming rankings for all 9 and 10 year old boys, by a full half second.
Blinkman took first place at the Minnesota Short Course Championships in March, first place at the Minnesota Long Course Championships in July, and first place at the Zone meet held in Kansas in early August.
Blinkman lives in St. Joe Township with his parents, Trent and Laura, sister Maria, and twin brother Cale. He is a fifth-grader at Houlton Elementary.
HASA will be competing in Anoka, Minn., this weekend. HASA swimmers train at the Hudson Middle School pool and compete regularly throughout the state of Minnesota. For information on HASA, visit www.hudsonswimteam.org.
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