Schatz, Buenaventura Team Sparkle at Swim Nationals

She stood on the platform, third-highest from the top. The crowd cheered when her name was announced. A medal was placed around her neck and she was presented with flowers. Then, her picture was taken.

Still, Erin Schatz exclaimed: “It hasn’t hit me yet. I’ve never placed in any of these kind of meets.”

Schatz did not know how to react to a third-place finish in the 200-meter backstroke Saturday in the United States Swimming Junior Nationals West at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center because she was merely hoping to make it into the consolation finals.

“I was just glad to get into the top 16,” said Schatz, 14. “This feels so different for me.”

Schatz of Agoura Hills improved her time by six seconds, to 2 minutes 21.31 seconds, because she has trained 11 practices per week all summer with the Calabasas-based CLASS Aquatics team.

“I had never worked out that way,” she said. “It just made me stronger for this race.”

Chris Pelant’s rigorous training enabled him to make the championship finals in two races.

Pelant, 16, of the Buenaventura Swim Team, was runner-up in the 200 butterfly in 2:04.80 and the fifth-place finisher in the 100 freestyle in 52.39.

Of the 10 preliminary and final swims posted by four Buenaventura swimmers, nine were lifetime bests. “It was a very, very good day,” Buenaventura Coach Steve Baxter said.

Buenaventura’s Ryan Duncan finished sixth in the 200 breaststroke in 2:22.19, and Joel Gustafson was 16th in 2:29.56. Danielle Walker placed 16th in the 200 backstroke in 2:28.26.

Cori Miller of the Glendale YMCA placed 15th in the 200 breaststroke in 2:42.58.