By Chris Shott
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
James Christopher certainly knows how to get into the “swim” of things. Christopher recently produced a significant string of successes at the YMCA Masters National Championship for swimmers held at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis. Competing in the 80- 84 age bracket as a member of the Masters program team of the Andover/ North Andover YMCA, he posted a first-place finish, three second-place finishes, and three third-place finishes in various races.
“I enjoy swimming and have for many years,” Christopher says.
Impressive showing
Christopher was one of 12 swimmers from the Andover/North Andover YMCA who journeyed to Indianapolis for the national meet, which attracted participants from throughout the U.S.
The Andover/North Andover YMCA squad, coached by Rick Battistini and three assistants, was one of the smallest in numbers competing in the national meet and that fact, Christopher says, cost it a higher place in the final standings.
“We averaged more points per competitor than any other team, but we just didn’t have enough swimmers to beat out the larger teams that had many more swimmers than we had,” Christopher says. “We ended up finishing 10th in the male events, 10th in the female events, and 11th overall.”
Christopher is no stranger to YMCA national competitions. The trip to Indianapolis marked the 11th straight year in which he has qualified for the nationwide meet.
“I’ve done a lot of traveling for swimming,” Christopher says. “I’ve been to Indianapolis twice now, as well as other places such as Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sarasota, Fla., Augusta, Ga., and Milwaukee, Wisc.”
Prior to the national meet in Indianapolis this year, Christopher made an even bigger splash at the New England YMCA meet held in Cambridge, Mass., where he won 10 of the 11 events he entered. The New England competition was one of the largest YMCAsponsored swimming events in the U.S. this year, with more than 850 entrants.