However, that didn’t stop Armstrong from splashing yet another chapter into an amazing high school career at the University of Texas at Austin’s Lee and Joe Jamail Swim Center with a pair of landmark performances.
Ones, which now also puts the Auburn University signee in elite company among the AISD’s best ever in the medal category.
Armstrong not only swam to victories in both the 50-and 100- yard freestyles for the second straight year, the MHS senior delivered gold medal record-breaking efforts in both events.
“Jack was just more relaxed and confident this year, knowing what he could achieve,” Mavs’ swim coach Rick Veal said. “Having his teammates there too helped the whole experience. He’s always been one to help his teammates and the young kids look up to him, because they know he cares about them.”
Armstrong wasted little time making his presence felt in the 50- yard prelims on Friday, completing the race in a blistering 20.10 seconds to top Brooks Powell, of Kingwood Park’s old mark of 20.28 in 2012.
The Manvel senior then maintained his dominance over Powell’s record in Saturday’s finals, finishing in 20.20 seconds to beat out silver medalist Alex Wallett, of Corpus Christi Flour Bluff (20.83) and co-bronze medalists, Richmond Foster’s Trent Cook and Peter Palus (20.99), of Highland Park.
As impressive as his 50 free exploits were, though, Armstrong turned it up an even higher notch for his gold medal in the 100 free. He not only shattered his own 2018 state record of 44.57 seconds in the event, Armstrong’s 43.96 performance was over two seconds lower than silver medalist William Corona (46.05), of Georgetown. Aledo’s Elijah Sohn (46.22) finished with the bronze.
“It was just incredible to watch,” said Veal, of Armstrong’s 100 free finish. “He was a full body length out in front of the other seven swimmers. He now owns five of the six highest times in the 50 and 100 (combined) in Texas.”
Armstrong, who captured the bronze as a sophomore in 2017, closes his high school career with five medals (four gold) overall in the last three years.
At the Region 7-5A meet two weeks ago in Sugar Land, Armstrong also set both Dan Cook Natatorium pool and region records in the boys’ 50-yard free (20.31 seconds) and 100-yard free (44.41 seconds).
Junior Hayden Wisnoski also competed in the boys’ diving competition at state for Manvel, while Armstrong was joined by seniors Brendan Diffley and Nick Shirdon and sophomore Ryan Cade Kuykendall in the 200 free re... Click here to read full article
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