Allison Merz of the Palisades-Malibu YMCA Swim Team competed at the annual YMCA Swimming and Diving National Championships Meet in Fort Lauderdale, Florida April 2-5. The 14-year-old Merz qualified for three individual events’the 100 and 200 yard butterfly and the 50 yard freestyle. She is the first Paly swimmer to qualify for this elite national meet since 2004. Despite not being tapered, Merz swam fast races. She clocked 25.80 seconds in the 50 freestyle, 1:01.68 in the 100 butterfly and 1:15.32 in the 200 butterfly. She also swam a time trial in the 400 individual medley in a personal-best 4:50.08. “Next year, Allison will be tapered and ready to make the top 16,” Paly Coach Brian Timmerman said. A freshman at Harvard-Westlake High, Merz is training for the CIF Championships at the Belmont Plaza pool May 9 and 12 in Long Beach, where she has qualified for the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle.
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