Columbus North’s Ainsley Sherlock competes in the 200-yard individual medley against Franklin at Columbus North, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023.
The Republic file photo
When Ainsley Sherlock gets on the starting block for the 100-yard breaststroke Friday night at the Girls Swimming and Diving State Finals, it won’t be her first time competing on the biggest stage in a high school sport.
The sophomore has been a part of the past two Columbus North girls cross-country teams that have run at state, helping the Bull Dogs to a runner-up finish as a freshman. But this time, rather than competing with a team, she’ll be there as North’s lone individual.
“They’re really different,” Sherlock said. “They both have the same nerve factor, but I think swimming is a lot different than cross-country.”
Ainsley Sherlock
Sherlock qualified for state by winning the 100 breaststroke in a personal-best 1 minute, 6.87 seconds at Saturday’s East Central Sectional.
“It was very exciting,” Sherlock said. “When I finished, it was kind of a shock, seeing all my teammates help me push. They believed in me, and that was a big factor, I think. I think the taper really helped. I think coach Mike (Cunningham) did a really great job at our taper, and I think we all did a great job.”
Last year, Sherlock entered the sectional as the No. 1 seed in the breaststroke, but finished fourth. This year, she was seeded second going in with what was then a personal-best 1:09.44.
In the sectional prelims, Sherlock went 1:07.95 to claim the fastest qualifying time to the finals. She then shaved another second-plus off that time to win by a little more than a half-second over Bloomington South’s Emily Wang.
“It was an awesome surprise to see her get out,” Cunningham said. “She did not let that girl intimidate her. She did awesome.”
Sherlock is the first North girls swimmer to qualify for state in four years.
“I didn’t think this year, we would have individuals make it,” Cunningham said. “We are still a really young team. Everybody is junior or younger, so I had not expected this year to get individuals. I was hoping for relays, and we just came up a little short on that. I think next year, we should get relays and more individuals going.”
What makes Sherlock’s feat possibly even more of a surprise is that she has not participated in club swimming the past couple of offseasons. She competed for Donner Swim Club for several years, but has done more running in the offseasons since entering high school.
“I think doing both cross-country and swimming is good,” Sherlock said. “They help keep my aerobic level up, and they kind of help each other out. Then, when I start swimming again, I get back into swimming shape.”
Sherlock is seeded 26th going into Friday’s prelims, which start at 6 p.m. at IUPUI’s Indiana University Natatorium. The 100 breaststroke is the next-to-last event, and likely won’t start until around 7:45 or 8 p.m.
The top eight in each event make it to the championship finals, and swimmers 9-through-16 make the consolation finals, which begin at 1 p.m. Saturday. Carmel’s Molly Sweeney is top seed at 1:02.20, and Hamilton Southeastern’s Julia Kiley is 16th at 1:05.53.
Sherlock is hoping to beat her sectional time and get in the top 16 to make it back to Saturday.
“That would be really great,” Sherlock said. “If I can drop any more time, that would be a good goal.”
Sherlock is one of two area swimmers who will be competing on Friday. Jennings County senior Avery Witt is seeded 28th in the 100 backstroke after winning the Floyd Central Sectional in 59.76.
