McClintock placed third overall at the 2018 Charger Swim/Dive Invitational for girls swimming Thursday with 245 points. The undefeated girls swim team broke some record times and many swimmers were rewarded for their performance.

Melissa Belote Ripley, a former three-time Olympic champion in aquatics, is now the current coach for the McClintock varsity swim team, Ripley spoke about her girl’s results with today’s game and their winning record this season.

“My girls are very talented but when I go up against schools that are loaded down with a lot of club kids, we're not as competitive. For a little school like McClintock we do Incredibly well as a team, we were undefeated this year. We were undefeated last year. Which is really really exciting.” Ripley said.

Sophie Velitchkov, a junior swimmer on McClintock’s varsity swim team, won first place in her category.  Velitchkov specializes in the 100-meter backstroke and along with placing first, she also broke her record from her previous year as a sophomore. Velitchkov improved her time by 1.9 seconds, with her past time being a 58.05 and her new record-breaking time being 56.6. But her overall best is a 55.36.

“I’m really happy about how I did today and excited for next year. But I’m also in club and by next year I hope to get a national time and another junior time, and I want to place first to more invites as a team,” said Velitchkov.

Sophomore Nina Teeter won not one, not two but three medals.Teeter participated in the 50M freestyle, 100-meter Freestyle and many other races.

 “Three out of the four races I did today went really well. I did the 200M Medley relay and we took first in that, I did the 50 free I took fourth and I did the 100 free and placed eighth and then in my last event was the 200 free relay and we took third for that.“ said Teeter.

Despite winning three medals and placing first in the 200 medley relay Teeter was quick to mention how she still strives to become a better swimmer and work on her weaknesses.  “I definitely need to improve on turns. My turns are not that great. I would like to work on breathing and diving, just stuff like that.” she said.

Ripley honored McClintock swim's tradition that former coach Tom Timpone started, by awarding the “golden rope” to the star player of the day. Sophomore Candace Farling, who was awarded the golden rope, won the 100M butterfly relay that had gotten first place and the anchor on the relay that got third in the 200M free relay.

“The golden rope has just come down year after year after year, but what’s really cool is the kids at school all know about the golden rope. So, when the kids who earned the rope wear it to school, its pretty exciting for those kids and we just try to spread it around so everyone on the team gets it," Ripley said.

Ripley was surprised when players, parents and coaches from other schools sang happy birthday to her because her birthday was just two days ago. They also gifted her a wagon full of gifts and she shared many smiles and laughs with the people around her. She hugged and thanked her swimmers, friends and supporters.