Focus, Determination Pay Off Big for Demers

When Philippe Demers, The Times Orange County boys’ swimmer of the year, told his coach at Santa Margarita that he was going after Brian Alderman’s 100-yard butterfly record at the Southern Section Division I finals last month, Eagle Coach Rick Rowland had little doubt that the junior would break the 10-year-old record.

“Philippe is an exceptional swimmer,” Rowland said. “He’s a very humble guy who doesn’t brag. But given his accomplishments in the water, I always knew it was just a matter of time before he did break the record.”

Last year at the section finals, Demers won the event but just missed the record. When Demers came back from the Olympic trials last March and rejoined his Santa Margarita teammates, Rowland said it was apparent Demers’ confidence was way up.

“You can’t tell me that when you compete against the best swimmers in the nation at the Olympic trials that it won’t get you pumped up,” Rowland said.

One of the few male teenagers in the nation who qualified for the Olympic trials, Demers has been nationally ranked since he was 12. He continues to lower his times, and at the rate he is going, many believe he has an excellent chance of making the next U.S. Olympic team.

Before he swam the 100 butterfly at the Division I finals last month in Long Beach, Demers already had an impressive victory in the 200 freestyle, winning in 1 minute 37.54 seconds.

Demers posted the fastest preliminary time in the 100 butterfly: 49.84, off the record of 49.18.

At the preliminaries, Rowland said Demers was not shaved and was clearly holding back.

When Demers got up on the block for the final, Rowland said he knew Demers would get the record.

“He was shaved and mentally prepared,” Rowland said. “You could see he was not going to be denied.”

Demers’ smooth but powerful stroke gave him an immediate lead. And even Mission Viejo’s Agustin Guzman, whom Demers had called his main competition, was left in his wake.

As he continued to build his lead, it was apparent that Demers’ only competition would be the clock. When he made his turn into the last 25 yards, he was ahead of record pace.

He finished in 48.68, his lifetime best and a record that could stand the test of time.