Freestyle

World Transplant Games Hood alum Atras wins 2 silvers in swimming Kyle Atras , a 2011 Hood College graduate who won letters all four years on the swim team, won two silver medals at the 2011 World Transplant Games in Goteborg, Sweden, last month. "The whole city of Göteborg was very aware of the Games," said Atras, who was competing in his third World Transplant Games after receiving a heart transplant when he was 81/2 months old. "I had one man stop me in the mall to ask about the Games and to tell me about the city.

Et cetera Phelps-led U.S. relay team 3rd in 400 free Michael Phelps of Fells Point and his United States teammates finished third in the 400-meter freestyle relay on the first day of the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China. The Americans were second after Phelps' opening leg, and Garrett Weber-Gale , Jason Lezak and Nathan Adrian completed the third-place effort. Australia won in 3 minutes, 11 seconds; France was .14 of a second back and the Americans .96 behind.

Atholton The Atholton Swim Club Barracudas lost their first dual meet of the 2011 season to the Summer Hill Stingrays, 245-234. Barracuda swimmers recorded 88 best times. Ally VanNetta (11-12) and Timmy VanNetta (9-10) each won all four of their individual events. Taylor Myers (11-12) and Ryan Murphy (7-8) each won all three of their individual events and swam for winning relay teams. Winning two individual events and swimming for a winning relay team were Will Essl (13-14)

Fallston's boys swimming team set a goal this season to win back the state title they lost last year. Mission accomplished. The Cougars had to sweat it out at the end, but edged Worcester County's Stephen Decatur 284 points to 282.5 to win their fourth title in five years at the Maryland State Class 3A-2A-1A championships. "This is the result of a lot of hard work," said Cougars coach Derrick Jackson. "Our kids fought off injuries and other adversity to get back to this point.

Before Saturday's Class 4A-3A state championship swimming meet at the University of Maryland, Severna Park coach Mike McTammany looked at the seedings and tried to break down the potential point totals to see where his boys and girls teams might finish. McTammany knew his girls would have trouble toppling Urbana of Frederick County, but the boys had the depth to earn a second consecutive title. McTammany's prediction proved true as the Falcons placed well enough in the 11 events on the boys' side to take home the championship with 281 points, ahead of Broadneck (235)

Notre Dame Prep's victory Sunday in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference swimming championship amounted to so much more than winning a title. The Blazers not only broke McDonogh's eight-year hold on the team crown and paid it back for edging them in last season's championship, but they did it in the Eagles' pool. "That means a lot," Notre Dame Prep's Kendall Krumenacker said. "We were determined to win. " The Blazers won the regular-season title last year before losing to McDonogh by just five points in the championship meet.

Loyola and Notre Dame Prep won the team titles at the National Catholic High School Swimming Championships over the weekend at Villanova and La Salle universities in Philadelphia. Loyola's Oliver Bennett (100-yard butterfly) and NDP's Kendall Krumenacker (100 freestyle) and Erin Dunseith (100 backstroke) won gold medals. Bennett also swam on two winning relays, the 200 medley with Kendrick McDonald, JP Clancy and Aaron Jones and the 400 freestyle with Alex Porter, Connor McGarvey and Cameron James.

The freshman won two individual events and swam on a winning relay as the undefeated Blazers beat McDonogh, 100-70, in a dual meet last week between the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland's top two teams. Krumenacker won the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 backstroke and helped the 400 freestyle relay to victory. She also swam on the second-place 200 freestyle relay. A converted lacrosse player who has been swimming competitively only four years, Krumenacker competes for the Loyola Blakefield Aquatics team and qualified for sectionals last year.

Admittedly hurting at the wall and suffering a tad technically, Michael Phelps edged Peter Vanderkaay by 0.04 seconds in the 100-meter butterfly at the Charlotte UltraSwim on Friday, and won both events he entered in the USA Swimming Grand Prix Series event. Phelps, also scheduled to compete in the 100 backstroke on Saturday, needed a final push to hold off Vanderkaay, who passed Chloe Sutton for first place in the series standings by two points. "There was not much left in the tank there at the end," said Phelps, who trails Vanderkaay by three in series points for a $20,000 grand prize.

Years ago, a 7-year-old Indya Streams was riding in the back of her aunt's car when she burst into a spontaneous freestyle rap. Streams' aunt, Tracy Wilkins, turned down the car stereo to listen. When Streams was finished, Wilkins tested her, making her repeat her rhymes, and was impressed with what she heard. "She just spit it out," Wilkins said. "I was like, ‘Wow. Do you want to do that?' She said, ‘Yeah.' " Most 7-year-olds dream big, but Streams followed through.