FHSAA Class 3A State Swimming Meet: Gainesville's Michael Mullen wins two events

STUART — Gainesville High School junior Michael Mullen was not at the state swimming meet in 2021. A student at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, he missed the entire season because of a concussion.

On Friday, Mullen made his first trip to the state meet a memorable one, winning the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke and helping lead the ‘Canes to an eighth-place finish at the FHSAA 3A State Swimming and Diving Championships at the Sailfish Aquatic Center.

Mullen, who competed in his first full high school swimming season in three years, took over the lead in the 200 IM from the fast starting Logan Robinson of Washington and sped away to finish in 1:46.25, lowering his best time by 4.43 seconds. In his wake was defending champion Andrew Taylor of Countryside, a Florida commit, who finished in 1:48.80.

His time was under the All American-Automatic(AA-A) standard of 1:49.41 and missed the state record of 1:45.51.

“I was hoping to get the state record,” said Mullen, also a Florida commit. “ I knew I was going to be knocking on the door of that state record. I think my backstroke going out was a little slow, but I held it really well in the breaststroke. Obviously, I was happy to win the race. It was a very good swim. One of my best this season for sure.”

In the 100 breaststroke, Mullen expected second-seeded Rich Nguyen of Nease to take out fast, but he was confident he could catch him in the end. Though he did not go under his preliminary time of 55.26, he did win in 55.61 to beat Nguyen who finished in 55.83. He set an AA-A mark for both his swims.

“ I was a little bit tired honestly,” said Mullen who had hoped to get under his preliminary time. “It  was still a good race. I felt really strong, but at the end of the meet, it was hard to get that little bit of strength. I was happy to keep the win, but I think that could have been a little bit faster.”

After the meet, Mullen recounted how happy he was to be back on the pool deck competing again.

“It feels awesome,” said Mullen of the first two individual medals of his high school career. “Coming back to short course this season. I love swimming. It is so much fun coming back to it and having a good time with all my friends.  Getting on the podium is amazing. It really is.”

Mullen made history as well. He claimed the eighth and ninth individual  medals by a GHS athlete and 20th and 21st individual medal at the state meet by a Gainesville male athlete.

Meanwhile, ‘Canes sophomore Will Sammy finished fourth in the 100 freestyle in 46.30 seconds and fifth in the 100 backstroke in 52.14. Both times were personal bests and earned Sammy the first medals of his career.

“After regionals, I was taking it out pretty fast so I improved on that a lot,” Sammy said. “ I got two drops in the event so I can’t really complain. I felt pretty good. We’re a pretty small school so eighth was great for us. “

The ‘Canes 200 meter freestyle relay team of Mullen, Sammy, Casey Whitaker and Jackson O’Neill earned another medal, finishing fifth in a school-record 1:28.05.

In the girls competition, GHS sophomore Lilah Kage had the best finish on Friday. She placed 12th with a 329.90 in the 1 meter diving competition. Also scoring points for the Canes was the 200 freestyle relay team of Stella Roberts, Morgan Follon-Hooghius, Ava Fuller and Michelle Han, who finished 14th in 1:42.72.

Full results of Friday’s finals can be found on Meet Mobile app or the FHSAA.com website.

FHSAA 3A Swimming and Diving State Championships

Sailfish Aquatic Center, Stuart

Friday, November 4

Boys

Team Scores

1. Nease, 290; 8. GHS, 97; 32. Forest, 14

Individual and relay results

200y Individual Medley, 1.Michael Mullen, GHS, Jr, 1:46.25 AA-A. Improved 4.43 seconds. State meet record is 1:45.51; 2. Andrew Taylor, Countryside, Sr, 1:48.40 AA-A; 22. Casey Whitaker, GHS, Fr, 2:05.03 preliminaries

100y Freestyle, 1.Ryder Gentry, Jr, Chiles, 45.17, AA-A; 4. Will Sammy, GHS, So, 46.30 improved by 0.31 seconds

100y backstroke, 1. Mitchell Ledford, Sebastian River, Sr, 48.54, AA-A; 5. Will Sammy, GHS, So, 52.14 improved by 0.54 seconds

100y breaststroke, 1. Michael Mullen, GHS, Jr, 55.61, AA-A; 19. Ian Disoway, Columbia, Fr, 1:02.05

200 y Freestyle Relay,  1. Tampa Jesuit, 1:25.60; 5. GHS (Michael Mullen, Will Sammy, Casey Whitaker, Jackson O’Neill), 1:28.05 (school record)

Girls

Team scores

1. Ponte Vedra, 340.5; 16. Forest, 33; 27. GHS, 12

Individual and relay results

1 meter diving,1. Ava Brinkman, Fleming Island, So, 448.85; 12. Lilah Kage, GHS, So, 329.90

200y Medley Relay, 19. GHS (Michelle Han, Stella Roberts, Morgan Follon-Hooghius, Kara Walters) 1:59.36

200y freestyle, 1. Summer Cardwell, Countryside, Sr, 1:46.65; 16. Ava Fuller, So, GHS, 1:58.13

100 y Butterfly, 1. Summer Cardwell, Countryside, Sr, 53.72; 24. Michelle Han, GHS, Sr, 1:03.41

200 y Freestyle Relay, 1. Ponte Vedra, 1:35.41; 14. GHS (Stella Roberts, Morgan Follon-Hooghius, Ava Fuller, Michelle Han) 1:42.72

500 yard freestyle, 1. Ashley Sampson, Forest, 4:59.30; 17. Ava Fuller, GHS, So, 5:15.04 preliminaries

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: FHSAA 3A State Swimming and Diving Championships Sailfish Aquatic Center