Kings Park's Martin Perecinsky top qualifier in 200 free, 100 back at state championships
King Park's Martin Perecinsky poses during for the 2023 NYSPHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving Championships preliminaties at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y., on Friday. Credit: Heather Ainsworth
ITHACA, N.Y. — The five heats were done in the 200-yard freestyle prelims Friday at the NYSPHSAA and Federation boys swimming championships, and Martin Perecinsky had turned in the fastest time.
When the five preliminary heats were completed for the 100 backstroke in Ithaca College’s pool, the fastest time also belonged to the Kings Park junior.
Perecinsky swam the backstroke in 48.96, an automatic All-American time and a personal best. His 1:39.76 freestyle swim was also a personal best.
He was the top qualifier in both events and will compete in the final on Saturday.
“I’m just really happy to race with the best swimmers in the state,” Perecinsky said. “I knew I could always be up there with my training. I’m just really surprised that I’m first.”
St. Anthony’s, which finished first in the Federation in the 200 medley relay last year, had the fastest qualifying time (1:33.99) in the 200 medley relay prelims on Friday.
The Friars’ foursome of Aaron Mendoza (backstroke), Noah Cakir (breaststroke), Keanne Hernandez (butterfly) and Matt McManus (freestyle) set a Federation record of 1:32.58 at last month’s CHSAA championships.
“They are the favorites to win at this point,” St. Antony's coach Dan McBride said. "They want to go for the record.”
“We want to go a time that no one will ever be able to break,” said McManus, its senior captain.
Chaminade’s Kieran Duffy, Brian Kern, Lucas Silva and Stephen McDonald earned the top time in the 200 freestyle relay (1:25.09), and Danny Dwyer, Sean Atkinson, Duffy and McDonald were fifth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:09.76).
“I honestly think we’re going to get [the Federation title] in both,” McDonald said.
Ryan Nunez became the top qualifier in the 100 butterfly. The Kellenberg senior’s 48.65 finish was an automatic All-American time and matched his personal best.
“It would be huge [to win],” Nunez said. “It would be amazing to see all my hard work pay off.”
Pierre Leroy, who swims for the combined Huntington/Harborfields/Whitman team, wants the same satisfying conclusion. The Huntington senior was the top qualifier in the 500 freestyle at 4:35.72.
“It makes me feel excited for finals because I think I can go faster than that,” Leroy said. “Two weeks ago, I was 4:30. … I think if I go [4:29], I’ll be able to win the state championships.”
