February 26, 1999

Breitigam twins qualify for state swim meet

By Ed Fox
Sports Writer

CANTON -- So Justin and Jon Breitigam are twins. The swimming careers of the Fostoria seniors still have been on opposite routes.

That is, until this season as both have qualified for the 72nd Annual Boys State Swimming Meet which will be held today and Saturday at Canton's Branin Natatorium.

This is the fourth state appearance for Justin, who will be competing in the 200 freestyle today and 500 freestyle on Saturday. Jon qualified for the 200 free. Prelims will be held at 9:30 a.m. each day with the finals slated for 7 p.m.

Justin carries the No. 5 seed among the 24 competitors in the 500 after setting a new district record with 4:36.25 last weekend at Bowling Green State University. His time shattered his older brother Willie's school record of 4:37.47. Justin also sits in the No. 7 spot in the 200 freestyle with 1:42.96.

''The competition is just great in the 200 and that should be a dynamite race. The top six finishers could be among the top 20 in the country,'' said Fostoria head coach John Schuld. ''In the 500, the top two seeds are good ones but Justin could be right in the thick of it for third through fifth.''

Junior Dan Ketchum of Cincinnati Sycamore leads the qualifiers in the 200 free with 1:39.89 and junior Marc Courtney-Brooks of Columbus St. Charles is next at 1:40.14. Jimmy Pullin of Hawken is third with 1:41.62. Then, it really tightens up with the next four competitors separated by just 18-hundreths of a second.

Ketchum also ranks best in the 500 with 4:28.83 followed by Pullin with 4:33.62. Hawken sophomore Paul Kirk is third at 4:34.62, followed by Upper Arlington senior Andy Boone at 4:35.61 and Justin Breitigam.

Jon ranks 24th in the 200 with 1:46.14, but Schuld believes he could be a pleasant surprise at the meet.

''He (Jon) is in a great position with the No. 24 seed. He can have some fun. If he makes the finals, watch out because he's always better in the finals than the prelims and he could end up scoring some points for us,'' said Schuld.

Justin placed fourth in the state in the 100 backstroke his sophomore year after competing in the 500 free as a freshman. Last year, he qualified for state in the 200 free and 100 backstroke.

''I feel I had a good district meet (winning the 200 and 500),'' said Justin, who holds the school record in both events. ''I'm going to have to go faster this weekend. I would think I would have to get under 1:40 in the 200 and under 4:30 in the 500 to win.

''I had good drops at the district from the sectional. I went 1:46 in the 200 and 4:48 in the 500 at the sectional and came back with 1:42.96 in the 200 and 4:36.25 in the 500. I was just slightly off the school record in the 200 which I hold at 1:41.1.

''I worked harder on the weights this year and worked on little things which would help me drop my time. I've really worked hard on techniques,'' said Justin, who is leaning toward continuing his athletic career at either Eastern Michigan University or the University of Iowa.

The 1:46.14 by Jon was his best ever by three seconds.

''I'm really happy to make it to state, it's something I really thought I could do when the season started,'' said Jon. ''I just missed making state two years ago with a fifth at district in the 200 individual medley.

''It really helps to have Justin around, because he pushes me hard and I think I've become a much better swimmer because of him,'' said Jon, who is looking to continue his career and education at Eastern Michigan University.

Justin and Jon are the last of the Breitigam family to compete in swimming at Fostoria.

''I've had a very good relationship with the Breitigam family. It started with their sister Amy in the late 1980s and Willie followed. He went to state twice and was all-state and is now a sophomore at Ohio State University,'' said Schuld.

''Justin and Jon always did what was needed for the team during their four years as swimmers. They have a great work ethic and it not only shows in the pool, but in the classroom where they are excellent students. Most swimmers have great discipline and they are good examples of that. It's just been great to have them as examples for the other kids and they will be sorely missed,'' said Schuld.