Nobody Keeps Up With Jones

LONG BEACH — Sophomore Amy Jones of Cleveland High insists she felt tired before the City Section swimming prelims on Wednesday at Belmont Plaza.

But, apparently not enough to stop her from a record-breaking performance.

Jones shattered her city records in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle races to qualify for the finals on Wednesday and then some.

She finished with times of 23.54 in the 50 and 50.93 in the 100.

Jones was especially impressive in the 100, where she finished more than three seconds ahead of second-place Nicole Shifflett of Granada Hills (55.08).

“Right now, the 100 is my best event,” Jones said. “But it kind of goes back and forth. I’m closer to the [Olympic] trials cut in the 50.”

Granada Hills standout Jennifer Parmenter, a senior who is headed for USC, competed in only one individual event, but had a hand in two City records.

She didn’t set a record in the 200 individual medley, although her time of 2:10.52 was the fastest by nearly eight seconds.

That wasn’t the case in her two relays. The senior anchored the 200 medley relay team that broke the City record in 1:53.30 and the 400 free squad that established a record of 3:39.60.

Parmenter, who will also compete in the 500 free final on Wednesday, believes the Highlanders are primed for another record in the 400 free relay.

“The relay is going to be awesome,” she said. “I think we can crush the record.”

Parmenter’s teammate in both relays, Katherine Nielson, also turned in a strong performance with the fastest qualifying time in the 100 butterfly (59:30) and the 100 backstroke (58:76).

Another individual winner for Granada Hills was Shifflett in the 200 free (2:00.52) and Greer McGettrick of North Hollywood had the fastest qualifying time of 1:08.72 in the breaststroke.

In the boys’ division, El Camino Real junior Brian Brown posted the fastest time in the 100 backstroke (55.74) and the 200 individual medley (2:00.72). His brother Brett, a sophomore, was the fastest in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.71) and Taft’s Dimitry Uchitiel was the top qualifier in the 50 free (23.09).