By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
East Rowan swimmer Tanner Lowman headed to Chapel Hill on Friday thinking about winning a state title and shooting for a 3A record in the 100 breaststroke.
On Saturday, a Phelps-like performance in the pool at Koury Natatorium exceeded Lowman’s wildest dreams.
Lowman didn’t win a 3A state title ó he won two. He took the 100 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley.
And Lowman didn’t just set a 3A record in the 100 breaststroke. He broke a state record for all classifications.
He returned home as the meet MVP and an All-American ó a decent day’s work.
“I can’t explain it,” Lowman said. “I just wanted it, you know. I was pumped.”
Lowman slept surprisingly well Friday night, consumed his standard McDonald’s egg and cheese biscuit for breakfast and prepared mentally to compete in his first race. He would enter the water first in the 200 IM, an event that incorporates all four competitive strokes. It requires stamina, versatility and speed.
Lowman was the Rowan County champion in the event, but it’s a big state.
He cruised home sixth in the prelims with a time of 2:03.96 ó good enough to qualify for the final and avoid the outside lane but not good enough to scare anyone.
“The important thing after the prelim is to get plenty of food and rest, and I did that,” Lowman said. “It’s funny because my coach has preached at me for six months that I could be this awesome IMer if I could just get past this mental block I’ve had. I guess today I got past it.”
Lowman turned in the 200 IM of his life in the final. He was clocked in at 1:55.89 and nipped Zach Blom of Burlington Williams by two-hundreths of a second.
Lowman’s final time was eight seconds faster than his prelim effort.
“That’s unbelievable to drop that much time, but I think I knew I could do it if I wanted to bad enough,” Lowman said.
That upset victory relaxed Lowman heading into the 100 breaststroke, an event many believed he would win. High expectations can mean pressure, but he knew no matter what happened in the race that he was already a state champion.
“The win in the 200 IM took that monkey off my back,” Lowman said. “I’d already won something, so I knew I could just go leave it all in the pool in the 100 breast.”
There was enough time between events that he had an opportunity for more food and a long nap in the car. Refreshed and confident, he was primed for a huge performance in his specialty.
He placed third in the prelim with a time of 59.98 seconds, comfortably qualifying for the final.
He was at his peak when the final came, surging to a personal-best 56.75 clocking. He won his second title of the day by more than two seconds over second-place Chase Haislip of Charlotte Catholic.
Lowman said he’d produced a 57.8 showing in December, but he broke new ground ó make that new water ó on Saturday.
Lowman beat the state record of 57.10 that had been set 17 years ago by South Mecklenburg’s Ian Johnston, a 4A swimmer.
“Nothing out of the way happened to make it so fast ó just a good, clean race,” Lowman said. “I really thought I had a chance for the 3A record, but to break the state record was very unexpected.”
Lowman’s dazzling day provided more than state honors.
His 200 IM clocking was an All-American consideration time. His effort in the 100 breaststroke produced an automatic All-American time.
By a full two seconds.
“That really feels great,” Lowman said. “Not just to have an All-American time, but knowing I did it by two seconds.”
Seconds are eternities to swimmers, who usually celebrate shaving 10ths or 100ths off their previous marks.
Lowman, who led East to 66 points and 14th place in a state meet dominated by NPC school Lake Norman, isn’t sure how he’ll celebrate ó only that he will once the adrenaline stops rushing.
Now Lowman’s life goes back to normal. Chances are good he was at McDonald’s this morning ordering an egg and cheese biscuit.
That’s the new breakfast of champions.
n
NOTES: Lowman swam with Will Stokes, Kyle Fischer and Scott Clark on a 200 free relay team that finished ninth in 1:35.07. Lowman, Stokes, Clark and Clark Agner were 13th in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:36.92.