Ballard Pair Swim Well in Prelims

As family traditions go, the Ballards of Encino have their act down pretty well. Some families take pride in, say, sending all their children to the parents’ alma maters, or having all their offspring take piano lessons.

But the Ballards just plain swim fast. In the late ‘80s, Matt and Jason Ballard dominated City Section championship meets in the distance freestyles and butterfly.

Wednesday in the City prelims at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach, the latest in this lineage of Birmingham High aquatic standouts swam with a fury indicating that the tradition is alive and well.

Senior Christian Ballard blazed through his heat of the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute 44.67 seconds. That time improved his season best by four seconds and came within two seconds of his best time of 1:42.40, set in the senior nationals last summer. His closest competitor, Tate Hurvitz of Grant, swam a 1:49.92.

In the 500 free, Ballard also flew, swimming 4:39.33, more than 16 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Hurvitz (4:55.97). Not bad for a guy who came in not quite prepared.

“I didn’t taper or rest for this meet,” Ballard said. Next week in the City finals, Birmingham Coach Nick Rodionoff indicated, Ballard could ride a wave of inspiration to even better times.

“If he really wants, he can break the City records,” Rodionoff said. “It’ll be a psych swim next week.”

Just as effective was Christian’s sister, Heather, a sophomore distance freestyler who cruised through her heats with true Ballard ease. Heather, who also has qualified for the mile, shotput and high jump in the City track meet finals, won her heat in the 200 free (1:57.54, three seconds shy of the City record) and took second in the 500 free (5:08.52, two seconds better than her season best).

The top 12 finishers in each event qualified for the finals, which also will be held at Belmont Plaza. The top six finishers will swim in the championship finals and the bottom six will swim in the consolation finals.