Antal, Reott set high hopes
SLIPPERY ROCK — When the alarm buzzes in Katie Antal's ear at 5:30 in the morning, she badly wants to roll over and go back to sleep.
Then, the dream of qualifying for the Olympic swimming trials becomes more important than any dream she may have if she slips back into slumber.
It motivates her to climb out of bed and into a pool for a morning practice before school at Slippery Rock High.
“I'm not much of a morning person,” Antal says with a snicker. “It's not always easy to get out of bed. But it's a goal of mine to get to the Olympic trials this year to get the experience. Hopefully in four years, I'll be there to win it.”
For now, Antal is content to hone her craft in a myriad of events for the Rockets. The sophomore, though, is at her best in the 100 breaststroke, an event she swam competitively for only the second time this season at the Northeast Invitational over the weekend.
She set a meet record in that event with a time of 1 minute, 8.53 seconds.
Her teammate and Slippery Rock senior Kelsey Reott set a pool record in the same meet in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:59.78.
Reott also rises early for those morning swims.
“I love to swim,” Reott said. “So, it's easy for me. I might crash later in the day, but it's worth it.”
Antal and Reott are perfect foils for each other. Antal is loose before a race, has a bubbly personality and loves to make jokes. Reott, on the other hand, is serious, stoic and focused before her event.
The two have helped each other over the years in and out of the pool.“Katie is fabulous,” Reott said. “She works so hard and is so dedicated for her age. She's definitely going to do some great things. Her dream is to go to the Olympics and nothing is going to stop her.”Antal considers Reott “her big sister.” Each is the biggest fan of the other.“I'm really going to miss her when she leaves,” Antal added.Reott plans to swim in college and is still in the process of narrowing down her choices.In the meantime, she is working toward making a big splash in the postseason in both the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke.“Success for me is getting to districts, finishing in the top two and going to states,” Reott said. “Once I'm there, I want to make it to the finals.”Antal's goals are just as lofty.She said she would like nothing better than to share success with Reott at the state meet.“It would be great if we could both go there and do well,” she said.Antal is eyeing a state title, if not this year, in the next two years.She's already close. Her best time in the 100 breaststroke is around the 1:06 mark. Last year's PIAA Class AA state champion swam a time of 1:03.72.
Antal was ninth in the state last season.This year, she said she'd like to get her time down to the 1:04 range — something that could be accomplished with quicker turns and pushoffs.Her long-term goal is much, much faster times in the event.“Eventually I would like to be around one minute,” Antal said. “Or even under a minute. That would put me around the best national times. I know I definitely need to be under 1:04 this year.”Slippery Rock swimming coach Cindy Johnston said she believes Antal and Reott haven't hit their best times yet this season.“I don't think they have peaked,” she said.Antal definitely believes she has faster races in her.She also has another dream to fulfill — one she can only achieve by being in the pool at 6 a.m., not under the covers.“In our gym there are banners for state champions like in track and other sports,” Antal said. “I always look up at those, and I want to see my name up there someday.”
