Madison Lin, Megan Hu pace Syosset to Nassau girls swimming title
Joelle Lee, Madison Lin, Megan Hu, Caroline Hu of Syosset celebrate their second place finish in 400-yard freestyle relay at the Nassau girls swimming championshps in East Meadow on Saturday, Nov 4, 2023. Credit: Anna Sergeeva/Anna Sergeeva
Last year, Syosset won its first county championship in girls swimming and diving. Saturday, Madison Lin and Megan Hu were ready to do whatever it took to help their team defend that title.
Syosset finished first with 437.5 points at the Nassau County Championship at the Nassau Aquatic Center. Runner-up Bellmore-Merrick totaled 310.5 and Manhasset was third with 303.
“The girls swam great today,” Syosset’ coach Michael Cipollino said. “We knew we’d have to swim fast and dive well in order to pull off a second championship, and we did just that.”
Syosset placed first in three individual races, and placed second in the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400 free relay -- results of which Cipollino credited to his team’s spirit.
“We have the whole team here today and they’re all cheering as loud as they can for each other during each race, and I think that’s what makes this group so special,” he said.
Lin, a sophomore, won the 200 individual medley relay in 2 minutes, 6.06 seconds, and captured the 100 free in 2:06.06, breaking two Syosset records.
“I certainly wasn’t expecting to win,” Lin said. “I came into today seeded third in the 200 IM, so i’m really happy with how it turned out.”
Lin said this was actually her first time competing in the 100 free, and yet, she still won.
“Freestyle is not my specialty at all, I’m much better at breaststroke,” she said. “It was really exciting to swim the 100-yard freestyle for the first time and be able to win.”
Hu, a senior, proved her dominance in the 100 breaststroke for the third straight year with a season-best and state-qualifying time of 1:05.85. She also finished fifth in the 200 IM.
“I was so emotional going into this and I was super determined to get it again,” Hu said. “Everyone was cheering me on and it was just an incredible moment.”
Long Beach placed fourth with the help of freshman Vivienne Zangaro, who finished first in the 200 free in 1:50.91 and the 500 free in 4:55.61, both with All-American consideration.
“It feels really amazing and I’m so excited,” Zangaro said. “Each meet I go into I say I just want to match my previous times, but I was able to drop both times by a lot today, so hopefully that continues.”
Next up, Lin, Hu an Syosset head to the state championships on Nov. 17 in Webster. For Hu, it could be her last time representing Syosset. “I have the best team anyone could ask for,” she said. “I’m soaking in every last second I have with them.”
