Club Olympia’s, from left, Chad Pendleton, Josh Pendleton and Camila Mejia Murguia competed for Team Indiana in the USA Swimming 2024 Central Zone 14-and-under Championship in Fargo, North Dakota.
Submitted photo
Three Club Olympia swimmers helped Team Indiana win the USA Swimming 2024 Central Zone 14-and-under Championship in Fargo, North Dakota.
Team Indiana came from behind on Day 4 of the event to score 4,856 points and take first place out of nine Zone (geographically located championship swim teams, typically by state) teams. Illinois finished second with 4,834 points, followed by Ohio, Ozark (Missouri) and other teams from Arkansas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Team Indiana was aided by Club Olympia athletes Josh Pendleton, Chad Pendleton and Camila Mejia Murguia, who combined for 83.5 total points. Club Olympia’s Lexi Miller also met the Indiana Zone Team qualifying requirements, but was unable to make the trip to Fargo because of a scheduling conflict .
Josh Pendleton, center, stands atop the podium after winning the 1,500-meter freestyle in the USA Swimming 2024 Central Zone 14-and-under championship in Fargo, North Dakota.
Submitted photo
Josh Pendleton competed in six individual 13-14-year-old events in addition to the Team Indiana 4×100-meter freestyle relay, which placed sixth. Pendleton swam a lifetime-best to win the 1,500 freestyle to claim championship rights and a first place Central Zone finish. Pendleton added a second-place finish in the 800 freestyle, third in the 400 freestyle, fifth in the 200 freestyle, ninth in the 200 butterfly and 10th in the 400 individual medley.
Chad Pendleton, competing in the 10U boys division as a 9-year-old, placed 11th in the 200 freestyle, 20th in the 100 freestyle and 21st in the 100 butterfly.
Mejia Murguia, swimming in the 11-12 girls division, was 13th in the 50 butterfly, 22nd in the 100 freestyle and 30th in the 50 freestyle.
