South Florida HEAT’s Erika Pelaez, Kaii Winkler repeat as Broward swimmers of the year

Erika Pelaez and Kaii Winkler each had a junior season to remember. The South Florida HEAT duo dominated in the pool and ended up re-writing the state record book by season’s end.

They each won a pair of individual state titles in the FHSAA’s toughest classification, with Pelaez adding a relay gold as well, and all five of those events involved breaking a state record.

That made it an easy decision for Pelaez and Winkler to repeat as the Miami Herald’s Broward swimmers of the year in 2022 after both also earned the distinction in 2021.

And both feel like they are just getting started.

Let’s start with Winkler, who was a double-winner at state in the 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle and broke state records previously set by a pair of swimmers who have gone on to be Olympic greats.

His time of 1:34.18 in the 200 free bested his time from last year’s state meet by more than two-and-a-half seconds (1:36.78) and was just over a half-second faster than the previous state record of 1:34.69 set in 2013 by Caeleb Dressel, who won five gold medals at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“I think the 200 had a little bit more effort to get the state record,” Winkler said. “It was just really awesome to be able to take it from someone that is honestly a legend in Caeleb Dressel.”

Winkler followed that up by swimming the 100 free in 42.52 seconds, breaking two-time Olympian Ryan Murphy’s state record of 42.95 seconds set in 2012 when Murphy swam for Jacksonville Bolles. Last year, Winkler finished the event in 44 seconds.

What led to Winkler’s breakout season, in his eyes?

“My execution,” said Winkler, who also anchored South Florida HEAT’s boys’ 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relay teams that both finished second at state. “Just figuring out when to go all-out sprint, especially in the short races.”

As for Pelaez, her name now appears in the state record book three times after her dominant performance at the Class 1A meet in Stuart back in November.

Pelaez won state titles in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly. Her time of 51.78 seconds in the backstroke at state broke her previous state record of 52.34 seconds set a year ago, while her time of 52.12 seconds in the butterfly was more than a half-second faster than the previous record of 52.73 set in 2019 by Ponte Vedra Beach Nease’s Olivia Peoples.

“The fly was the bigger achievement,” Pelaez said. “It was kind of out of my comfort zone. I normally only swim free and back at state and it was a lot of fun to be able to race different events and also still accomplish my goals of getting those state records.”

And, for good measure, Pelaez led off South Florida HEAT’s state-winning 400-yard freestyle relay with a 48.08-second leg, which broke the state record of 48.20 seconds set in 2019 by Flagler Palm Coast’s Micayla Cronk.

Pelaez, a junior national team member who is orally committed to swim collegiately at North Carolina State., also swam the backstroke leg of South Florida HEAT’s 200-yard medley relay that finished third.

Pelaez’s goal for her senior year?

“Get more state records,” Pelaez said. “I’m just trying to get as many records as I can before I graduate.”