Walker makes consolation; Van Oost just misses

It is a measure of Natalie Walker's competitiveness that she was very unhappy after her preliminary swim at Friday's IHSA girls swimming state meet at New Trier.

The Crystal Lake co-op senior swam the eighth-fastest time in the 100-yard breaststroke and qualified for the consolation heat in today's final day of competition.

And yet Walker was quite emotional after her race.

"I'm sad I didn't make finals," Walker said.

Walker does get a second swim in her final state meet and she can finish anywhere from seventh to 12th in the meet.

"I felt I was swimming really well," Walker said. "You can't always have your best swim."

Walker has been to the state meet every one of her years in high school, and Friday's experience was no different than the previous three.

"It's so loud," she said. "It's still just as exciting. It's still the state meet and I love this meet. You never stop getting nervous or stop having that adrenaline pumping."

Walker is the lone area swimmer to return for Saturday's finals.

Burlington Central junior Alex Van Oost shed a tear or two of her own after narrowly missing qualification in the 100 backstroke. Van Oost swam 58.55, and missed 12th place by .04.

"It's gone well," Van Oost said. "I swam my fastest time. This is the fastest I've swam at this meet. I felt I swam really well but I just missed finaling."

Van Oost also swam in the 200 freestyle but failed to advance in that event as well and this year's experience will help her as she goes through her club season and as she prepares for her final state meet next year.

Through the day, Van Oost sat with the Rosary team, which is largely made of athletes who compete for her Academy Bullets swim club.

"It was really nice," Van Oost said. "Last year, I didn't sit with a team and it was really good to sit with them."

Cary-Grove's Kim Kalenda finished 23rd in the prelims for the 100 freestyle. Only the top 12 swimmers in each event swim on Saturday.

"All of the excitement, you could really feel it," Kalenda said. "I guess I was a little tired from the long taper and holding it after sectional."

St. Edward sophomore Megan Venlos swam in the 200 freestyle prelims and finished a strong 16th but failed to advance to today's finals.