Diaz and Kwong Break Records, Win Two Events During Five-Way Conference Meet

Madalena Diaz and Alexandria Kwong each won two events, broke a school record, and helped make more school history in a relay race for the Allan Hancock College women's swim team during the first five-way Western State Conference meet of the season on Friday. Hancock finished third overall in the meet hosted by L.A. Pierce that also featured Bakersfield, Citrus and L.A. Valley. 

The quartet of Diaz, Kwong, Brannica Casabar and Rebecca Gonzalez opened the meet by winning the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 2:06.99. The Bulldogs touched the wall nearly 12 seconds before runner-up Citrus. IT marked the first relay victory in the three-year history of the Hancock program.

Diaz followed that by winning the 1,000-yard freestyle event and broke the program record with a time of 11:38.64. The freshman smashed the previous record of 12:29.89 set by Bailey Nelson in 2014. Later, Diaz won the 500-yard freestyle event with a time of 5:34.50. 

Kwong won the 100-yard butterfly by almost four seconds with a time of 1:04.30. The Orcutt Academy graduate later took the 100-yard backstroke when she was clocked in 1:02.57. The freshman broke the previous record of 1:11.60 set by Natalie Bondy last season.

Gonzalez finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:15.11, about four seconds behind the winner from Bakersfield.  The Nipomo High School graduate also placed fifth in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:41.54.

Nikki Gurgiolo, a Righetti High Schoool graduate, came in sixth in the 200-yard freestyle at 2:22.96, and fifth in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:14.76. 

Hancock returns to action on Thursday, March 10 for its only home meet of the season. The Bulldogs will host a dual against Clovis at 2:15 p.m. at the Paul Nelson Aquatic Center.