Vince Coyne and Bellah Bowman had big weekends swimming for Team Kentucky in the Mid States All-star Championships on January 6-7. Bowman had a top 10 finish, and Coyne broke multiple Owensboro Marlins records on his way to two 2nd place finishes.
Bowman and Coyne are both members of the Owensboro Marlins and were selected to represent Kentucky in the 11-12 age group to compete against the best swimmers across the Midwest. They both competed in multiple events and helped Team Kentucky break 6 meet records on their way to a 4th place overall finish.
This competition marked Coyne’s final time competing in the 11-12 age group as he will soon turn 13. To cap off his final performance as a 12-year-old, Coyne placed 2nd in the Boys’ 50 Yard and 100 Yard Breast. Coyne also broke four Marlins records, two of which being his own records, for the 11-12 age group.
He broke his own 50 Yard Breast record with a 30.75 and his 50 Yard Free record with a 26.00. He also broke two records held by former Owensboro Marlin Michael Hampel. Coyne broke Hampel’s 100 Yard Breast record set in 2012 with a 1:07.22 and the 100 yard Free record with a 55.93.
Coyne was excited heading into the Mid States Championships as he enjoys the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.
“I get really excited for big meets like this one,” he said. “It gives me a chance to see how good I can really be. I like the competition at big meets. There were some really fast swimmers, and they pushed me to go faster. I also enjoy meeting new people and making friends from across the state. It feels great to achieve something like this. I would like to thank my coaches and teammates who push me every day. I would also like to thank my family for all their support.”
Bowman had a top 10 finish as she placed 7th overall in the Girls’ 50 Yard Breast as well as having four out of five lifetime best times. She also helped Team Kentucky place 7th in the 200 Yard Medley Relay and 8th in the 200 Yard Free Relay.
Bowman also enjoys the high levels of competition at big events like the Mid States Championships because it is a constant reminder to keep getting better.
“Competition is always a good thing,” she said. “It forces you to do your best and reminds you that you can never stop training.”
