Poll: Who are your top Broward high school boys’ and girls’ swimmers for the 2022 season?
The 2022 high school swimming season featured many standout performances once again in Broward County.
The Miami Herald recently published its All-Broward Swimming team and crowned South Florida HEAT’s Kaii Winkler and Erika Pelaez as its Swimmers of the Year. And also named its Coach of the Year.
This week, the Herald is asking you to vote on who you think was the best overall of those swimmers this season.
Below is a look at the swimmers who earned first team honors this season. Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Wednesday, Jan. 25, around 10 p.m. The highest-voted boy and girl will be declared the winners of this fan vote.
You may vote as often as you like until then.
Here are the candidates:
BOYS
▪ Kaii Winkler, South Florida HEAT: Winkler, a junior, swam a time of 1:34.18 in the 200 freestyle to win a Class 1A state title and set a new state record and did the same in the 100 freestyle in 42.52 seconds.
▪ Javier Colmenares, Everglades: Colmenares, a junior, finished fifth at state in Class 3A in the 200 IM with a time of 1:53.70. He also finished third at state in the 100 breaststroke in 56.55 seconds.
▪ Samuel Collingwood, St. Thomas Aquinas: Collingwood, a senior, won a state title in the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.69 seconds.
▪ James Boardman, Fort Lauderdale: Boardman, a sophomore, won a Class 4A state title in diving with a score of 494.70.
▪ Colin Nealy, Pine Crest: Nealy, a senior, won the consolation final in Class 1A in the 100 butterfly in 49.60 seconds.
▪ Giuliano Brunetti, Pompano Beach: Brunetti, a junior, finished third at state in Class 2A with a time of 4:38.20.
▪ Finn Winkler, South Florida HEAT: Winkler, a senior, finished third at state in Class 1A in the 100 backstroke with a time of 50.25 seconds.
GIRLS
▪ Mariana Cote, Cypress Bay: Cote, a junior, placed 10th at state in Class 4A in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:53.63.
▪ Julia Podkoscielny, Pine Crest: Podkoscielny, a senior, won a state title in the 200 IM in Class 1A with a time of 1:58.81.
▪ Tawannah McLemore, Fort Lauderdale: McLemore, a junior, finished fifth at state in Class 4A with a time of 23.51 seconds in the 50 freestyle.
▪ Kaitlyn Raby, St. Thomas Aquinas: Raby, a senior, finished third at state in Class 3A in the 1-meter diving with a score of 438.60.
▪ Erika Pelaez, South Florida HEAT: Pelaez, a junior, won state titles in Class 1A in the 100 butterfly (52.12 seconds) and 100 backstroke (51.78 seconds) and broke state records in both events.
▪ Gioia Balzano, South Florida HEAT: Balzano, a freshman, finished third at state in Class 1A in the 100 freestyle with a time of 50.31 seconds.
▪ Riley Botting, Pine Crest: Bottling, a senior, finished third at state in Class 1A with a time of 4:56.90 in the 500 freestyle.
▪ Sara Lin, Pine Crest: Lin, a junior, finished fourth at state in Class 1A in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:03.67.