Athletes of the Week Feb. 16

Anna Mumford

Just a freshman on the Sussex Academy swim team, Anna has made a big splash in the DIAA swim world. She broke two records at the Henlopen Conference swim meet Feb. 10. She set new records in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:54.34 and the grueling 500 freestyle with a time of 5:01.76. She also took gold medals in the medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay. “The first time I saw Anna swim, it was evident that she’s special,” said Seahawks coach Tom Martiner. “The fluidity of her stroke, her ability to maintain pace and her competitive fire are second to none. She’s also a great teammate, and I’ve seldom seen a happier or more relaxed kid. As she’s only a freshman, I’m eager to watch how far she’ll go and am fortunate to be her coach.”

Anna Sullivan

This Cape senior swimmer took gold in the 50 and 100 freestyle events at the Henlopen Conference swim meet Feb. 10. “Anna is one of the strengths of our girls' team,” said Vikings coach Bill Geppert. “She is someone we can always count on to deliver when needed. When we make our lineup up, we put her in events first and then build entries around her. She continues to be one of the best swimmers we have ever had in our girls' program.” An AP student at Cape, Anna’s main sport is lacrosse, where she will continue her career after graduation at Stetson University in Florida. She is in Leo Club, FCA and the National Honor Society. “Getting a top 10 finish in states would be a great way to end my high school swimming career,” she said.

Holden Tighe

A junior at Cape Henlopen, Holden broke four records at the Henlopen Conference swim meet. He teamed to break conference records in the medley relay with a 1:40.51 and the 400 freestyle relay with a 3:18.63. He also set the school record in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. “Holden is an incredibly gifted athlete who continues to excel in our sport,” said Cape head coach Bill Geppert. “There is no stopping him in achieving anything he sets his mind to. We are so fortunate to have him in our program.” Tighe said, ”I’m looking forward to states. Hopefully we can get to the podium in the relays.” In the summertime, you can find him sitting on the stand as a lifeguard. He also likes kayaking, lifting and going to the beach. After graduation, he would like to travel around to visit the national parks.

Christian Wright

This Sussex Academy sophomore sprinted to wins in the 50 and 100 freestyles at Henlopen Conference swim meet Feb. 10. The times of 22.27 in the 50 free and 49.29 in 100 free are both Sussex Academy records. “The 50 and the 100 freestyle events are the marquee events at most meets,” said Seahawks coach Tom Martiner. “Most people see the sheer power and strength of the athletes. What they fail to realize are the hundreds of hours spent training for a 22-second race. Christian put in the work all year, and maintained his focus and composure to win both, and I couldn’t be more proud.” Wright is just one piece of a strong Seahawks squad that posted a 9-1 record and won the Henlopen South this season.