McClain’s Elana Unger earns runner-up, 3rd-place finishes at OHSAA Swimming & Diving State Tournament

McClain senior Elana Unger wrapped up a successful high school swimming career on the highest possible stage Friday, Feb. 23, as she earned Top 3 finishes in two Para-Swimming events at the 2024 OHSAA Swimming & Diving State Tournament.

Unger swam in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly events for a third straight year at the state meet, held Friday at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.

In the 50-yard freestyle, Unger was state runner-up, finishing with a time of 39.66. Along with being second in the state, Unger also earned her highest-ever finish at the meet, as she was third in 2023 as a junior and fifth in her state debut in 2022 as a sophomore.

Unger also had an impressive finish in the 100-yard butterfly, where she was third place overall with a time of 1:55.94, including a 56.09 lap and a 59.85 lap. With that finish, she cut two seconds off of her seed time of 1:57.95. This was also Unger’s highest finish at state for the 100-yard butterfly, after finishing fifth in her first two attempts.

Both events at state were won by Jayde Gowitzka, a senior from Sandusky High School.

In all, Unger finishes her career with six trips to the podium at state in six chances, with one second-place, two third-place and three fifth-place medals. She also has the distinctions of being the first — and thus far, only — local athlete to qualify for the State Para-Swimming Competition, as well as being among the first 11 girls swimmers in the entire state to qualify for the event.

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