Chelsea Britt: Fastest 8 Year-old Girl Ever?
By Phillip Whitten
ORLANDO, August 6. Y TEAM Orlando's Chelsea Britt swam times last month that may well be the fastest-ever by an 8 year-old girl.
Competing at the Florida Swimming Long Course Junior Olympics, Chelsea won the 100 meter butterfly in the 10 & Under division in 1:15.62.
Her time is a National Reportable Top-16 Time for 10 & Unders and her win marked the first time in the history of Florida swimming that this event has been won by an eight year-old.
Chelsea, coached by Aaron Schwartzman, was by no means a one-event wonder. She also placed second in the 50m fly (34.71), third in the 100m back (1:20.77), fourth in the 50 back (38.56), fifth in the 200 free (2:31.31) and sixth in the 100 free (1:10.85).
In addition, she swam on her team's 10 & under 200m medley relay that broke the state and JO mark of 2:27.65 set in 1995 with a 2:26.66. Chelsea's older sister, Christie, now 18, was a member of that 1995 relay team.
Chelsea, who turns nine on October 27, is hoping to notch some state short course records this fall before her birthday. And she has her eye on the 100m fly mark for 10 & unders: "It's only a 1:10 and I've got over two years to do it," she says.