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PREP SWIMMING : Woodbridge Junior Shines

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It may not have been Barcelona, but Irvine Woodbridge junior Derya Buyukuncu was still happy to collect two gold medals during the CIF Southern Section Division I swimming championships Friday night at Belmont Plaza.

A 100- and 200-meter backstroke swimmer on the 1992 Turkish Olympic team, Buyukuncu shattered the national high school record in the 100 backstroke with a 47.84 mark. That broke the record of Ft. Myers, Fla., prep star Derek Weatherford, who clocked a 48.93 time in 1988.

Earlier, Buyukuncu turned in the second fastest prep time in the United States this year to win the 200-yard individual medley (1:49.78).

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Buyukuncu beat El Toro’s John Simmons in the 100 backstroke to claim his double. Simmons had won the 200 freestyle earlier with a 1:39.97 mark.

Huntington Beach Marina leads the boys’ team standings with 186 points. Mission Viejo is second at 152 and Dos Pueblos third at 146.

In the girls’ 100 backstroke, Alyssa Resch of Goleta Dos Pueblos set a section record with a 56.40 time, breaking the mark of 57.22 set by Mandy Walz of Buena last year.

Michelle Perry of El Toro won the 50 and 100 freestyle, giving her four section titles in three years.

Thousand Oaks senior Valery Calkins pulled off a double in the girls’ 200 and 500 freestyles, with times of 1:49.82 and 4:51.01.

El Toro leads the girls’ team competition with 167.5 points. Mission Viejo is second at 160.5 and Capistrano Valley third at 138.

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Southern Section finals continue today at Belmont Plaza Pool. Division III begins at noon and Division II at 7 p.m.

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