The Christiansburg Aquatic Center was the site of the Region 3D
swimming championships Tuesday and the William Byrd boys were the runner-up.
The girls took fifth among 11 teams on a big day in the pool for the Terriers.
“Our boys brought home a trophy for the school,” said an excited Byrd
coach Krista Martin. “We have 11 swimmers advancing to the state level and four
of them will make their state debut.”
The 2024 state team from Byrd includes Evan Copening, Bruno De Melo,
Michael Hoyos, Chris Hurd, Cole Kovacevic, Brody Parrish, Blake Richardson,
Addison Collins, Cary Jones, Lindsay Murtaugh and Gabby Romeo. The state
meet will be in Richmond on Saturday, February 17.
Tuesday in Christiansburg the Byrd boys scored 91 points to finish second
to Hidden Valley, who won the region championship with 99. Carroll County was
third with 81 points, Cave Spring had 74 and host Christiansburg was fifth with
71 points.
The top finish for the boys was a second in the 200 freestyle relay with the
team of Cole Kovacevic, Michael Hoyos, Blake Richardson and Evan Copening.
Two other relays took fourth, the 200 medley team of Chris Hurd, Brody Parrish,
Jay Rozenboom and Bruno De Melo and the 400 free foursome of Kovacevic,
Hoyos, Richardson and Copening.
Individually, Parrish took third in both the 200 and 500 free and
Richardson was third in the 100 fly. Copening was third in the 100 breast and
fourth in the 200 IM and Kovacevic was third in the 100 back and fourth in the
100 free. Hoyos swam to a fourth in the 200 free.
In the girls’ meet Cave Spring dominated with 176 points. Christiansburg
was runnerup with 89, followed by Hidden Valley with 83, Lord Botetourt with
77 and Byrd with 50 points.
Byrd’s Lindsay Murtaugh won the 500 free race with a time of 5:15.31.
That was almost 10 seconds better than the second place girl from Christiansburg,
Anna Sanford.
Murtaugh also took second in the 200 free in 1:55.12, less than three
seconds behind winner Layne Jones of Lord Botetourt. In the relays Murtaugh
swam on the third place 200 medley team with Cary Jones, Gabby Romeo and
Addison Collins and on the fourth place 200 free relay with the same three
teammates.
