Kristen Vredeveld, 15, poses for a portrait in the Baylor School pool. Vredeveld recently swam the fastest time ever for her age group in the 50-yard freestyle.
Staff Photo by Jake Daniels/Chattanooga Times Free PressBaylor School sophomore swimmer Kristen Vredeveld spent last week’s spring break visiting relatives in Florida, which included a trip to the beach and kayaking in the Everglades.
There were several stints of long hours in the car, which enabled her to soak in what she had accomplished the preceding week at the National Club Swimming Association’s Junior National Meet in Orlando. On March 19, Vredeveld swam the 50-yard freestyle in 22.17 seconds, the fastest time ever for a 15- or 16-year-old girl in the United States.
“It’s very humbling, and I’m very excited about it,” a smiling Vredeveld said this week as she resumed practicing at Baylor. “I didn’t know I could drop that much. I was hoping to go my best time, but I wasn’t positive about how fast I would go.”
Since most countries use meters in athletic competitions, she actually can lay claim to being the world’s fastest 50-yard freestyler for her age.
Vredeveld, who turns 16 in July, also won the 100 free in 48.32 seconds and the 200 free in 1:45.63 while in Orlando and finished fifth in the 100 backstroke. She set Junior National meet records in all three freestyle victories, and her times in all three would have placed her in the top eight of each event at the NCAA level.