Cheyenne Mountain's Forsyth, L-P's Day win 4A swimming titles

LOVELAND • The biggest challenge for Ashley Forsyth during the next year might be staying focused.

No swimmer in the Class 4A state championships seemed capable of catching the Cheyenne Mountain junior, who dominated both of her events in claiming two titles Saturday at Mountain View High School.

Forsyth easily won in the 200-yard freestyle and also repeated as state champion in the 500 free. Laura Day, a sophomore at Lewis-Palmer, took home the title in the 100 breaststroke.

Forsyth and Day will get the chance to add to their medal counts next year — something both are eager to try.

“Yeah, just to protect my title,” Forsyth said with a laugh. “If I win it, that would be great. If I don’t, at least I held it for two years.”

Day emerged from a competitive field to win in 66.35 seconds — less than a second ahead of the runner-up.

“I knew I could,” she said. “I knew I had to want it more than the other girls.”

Forsyth and Day were instrumental in their teams’ performances as Cheyenne Mountain finished third (175 points) and Lewis-Palmer fourth (149). Thompson Valley (330) won the title.

Forsyth came into both of her events as the favorite after posting the top times in Friday’s preliminaries. And, despite battling nerves, she delivered right away in the 200 free, winning by nearly 2 seconds in 1:54.39.

Her win in the 500 free was more methodical as she gradually built on a tight lead after 200 yards. Forsyth led by more than a second after 300 yards and kept widening the gap before eventually winning by 4 seconds in 5:02.99.

Forsyth set school records in both victories.

“I’m not surprised,” coach Kate Doane said. “She trains so hard. That’s what she does, that’s her goal.”