A silver for Martin

IOWA CITY - Many a teenager spends countless hours dreaming up ways to make their birthday celebration memorable.

They'd be hard-pressed to top Iowa City West student Ruby Martin.

Martin was among a handful of Eastern Iowa's top swimmers competing against the nation's best last weekend at the Winter Junior National Championships in Federal Way (Wash.). She closed the meet in style by earning a silver medal in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:58.46 on her 15th birthday.

'It was the last event and I was just thinking, ‘last one, best one,'” Martin said. 'When I got out there and swam and I finished, I was very happy with what I went. ... I was happy that I was there and I got to be on the podium.”

The runner-up finish was the perfect birthday capper for Martin, who also qualified for the finals in the 400-yard individual medley and the 500-yard freestyle from a field of over 100 swimmers age 13-18. Representing the Iowa Flyers Swim Club (Iowa City), Martin added a fourth-place finish in the IM at 4:13.70 and a 16th in the 500 free in 4:51.64.

'It (the 400 IM) was a longer event, and I kept thinking to myself, ‘I don't want to die,'” Martin said with a laugh. 'But I just kept thinking, 'hundred of each stroke, you can do it, you'll be fine and swim as fast as you can.' I did and I was very pleased with what place I got.”

The West freshman has earned qualifying spots in the 2016 Olympic Team Trials in the 200 and 400 IM, 200 fly and 800 free.

'It was such an honor,” Martin said. 'I worked so hard for it.”

She continues to tailor her training toward being at her best for the Olympic Trials and said she will entertain the idea of swimming varsity for West her junior or senior year.

'She has an impeccable work ethic,” Iowa Flyers Coach Richard Salhus said. 'She's the first one here, and sometimes the last one to leave, too. Her dedication to the sport is showing for the years of training. She's just a very committed athlete.”

The Iowa Flyers finished 14th in combined points at junior nationals, the best performance by an Iowa team in recent memory. Iowa City West junior Mark McGlaughlin, the returning state champion in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle for the defending team champion Trojans, placed fifth in the 50 free (20.20) and sixth in the 100 (44.10). West teammate Aidan Keen finished 12th in the 200-yard freestyle final. In the 200-yard backstroke finals, Cedar Rapids Washington junior Nick Saulnier set a personal standard in 1:48.34, good for 21st place.

TOUGH TESTS FOR WASH

Saulnier returned in time to help the state runner-up Cedar Rapids Washington boys' swimming team host top-10 teams from February's state meet this week.

The Warriors bested Bettendorf, 91-79, Tuesday as Saulnier captured the 200-yard IM and 100-yard backstroke.

Washington (3-0, 2-0 MVC) faces MVC foe Dubuque Senior (3-0, 2-0 MVC) tonight at 6 p.m.