El Camino Real’s Okamura Posts Triple Double in City Swim Meet

Who says it’s difficult to repeat?

Not El Camino Real High senior Corrine Okamura, who not only repeated but three-peated in the 50-yard and the 100-yard freestyle events in the City Section swimming championships Wednesday in Long Beach.

Okamura, who has been winning City titles in both events since 1988, completed her swan song in fine fashion.

In the 100, Okamura clocked 55.01 seconds--her best time--drubbing her nearest competitor, Oriana Cavallaro of Kennedy, by three seconds. Three seconds in the 100 is more than a nice cushion.

“She’s an animal,” El Camino Real Coach Dave Moore said. “There was no question she would double (win twice) again. It was just a matter of going for personal bests.”

Okamura’s time of 25.21 in the 50 failed to top her personal best, but that seemed only to inspire her in the 100. So pleased was Okamura with her time in the latter race that she said, “It felt really rad.”

Okamura, who will swim for UC Davis next year, would have been happy just to break the 56-second barrier, according to Moore. She had swum 55.49 as a sophomore but said she “hadn’t touched that time since.”

Another Valley-area double winner was senior Christian Ballard of Birmingham. Like Okamura, Ballard’s record in the big meet is imposing: His win in the 500 freestyle (4:35.46) made him a perfect four for four in that event in City meets.

Ballard, who is bound for UC Santa Barbara, also took his second 200 freestyle victory in four years (1:43.37).

A victim of Ballard’s efficiency was Grant’s Tate Hurvitz, who finished second in the 200 free and the 500 free.

But Ballard and Okamura could not lift their teams past the juggernaut that is Palisades High. The Dolphins dominated both ends of the meet, with the boys notching 262 points to whip Birmingham (123). Palisades’ girls totaled 268 points to snuff out Birmingham (205).

Pacing the Birmingham girls was Ballard’s sister, Heather, who won the 200 freestyle (2:03.39) and finished second in the 500 freestyle to Carson’s Claudine Martinez, who set a City record in 5:00.18.