Returning swimmers PJ Gabayeron and Pat McCarthy received All-American honors in individual races last season. Gabayeron and Mccarthy posted a time of 3:13.76 in the 400-yard freestyle relay, which landed them in 15th place in the state championships and gave them the 16th fastest time in the country.

Gabayeron earned honors in the 200-yard Individual Medley (IM), 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard breaststroke, and also swam a leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay.

“I like to compete with the swimmers.

I wanted to break the junior college record and I did it,” Gabayeron stated.

“Being named Swimmer of the Meet at the state championships last season, it was great to see how hard I’ve worked.”

He also had the second fastest time in the country, while his time in the 100-yard breaststroke was the sixth fastest. While winning the 200-yard IM, he set a new school record with a time of 1:52.33.

“The competition was all right. I expected it to get better as the time approached,” he said.

McCarthy was also one of the swimmers that made it to the 16th fastest time  in history, landing in 15th place in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

“Pj is talented in breaststroke and he is good at all other strokes, also,” men’s swim head coach Joe Abing said.

McCarthy was second in the team at the All-South Coast Conference.

“My motivation for state was on how good I actually was,” McCarthy said.

In the first meet against Palomar, McCarthy clocked in at 23.48, which was good for 19th in the 50-yard freestyle and came in 33rd place in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 32.51.

“I didn’t do well, but I really wasn’t sure if I was going to swim this season, and just before the Palomar meet, I began training, but I’m getting my strength back slowly,” Mccarthy said.

McCarthy feels that Gabayeron is a big motivation for his performance.

 “I’m excited PJ is back. He is a motivation to me and he is faster and has showed me how talented he is,” he said.

A back injury was the reason for him being slower at his first meet.

“I had a muscle spasm in my back and haven’t been able to swim for five days,” McCarthy said.Returning swimmers Pj Gabayeron and Pat McCarthy received All-American honors in individual races last season. Gabayeron and Mccarthy posted a time of 3:13.76 in the 400-yard freestyle relay, which landed them in 15th place in the state championships and gave them the 16th fastest time in the country.

Gabayeron earned honors in the 200-yard Individual Medley, 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard breaststroke, and also swam a leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay.

“I like to compete with the swimmers I wanted to break the junior college record and I did it,” Gabayeron stated.

“Being named Swimmer of the Meet at the state championships last season, it was great to see how hard I’ve worked.”

He also had the second fastest time in the country, while his time in the 100-yard breaststroke was the sixth fastest. While winning the 200-yard IM, he set a new school record with a time of 1:52.33.

“The competition was all right. I expected it to get better as the time approached,” he said.

McCarthy was also one of the swimmers that made it to the 16th fastest time in history landing in 15th place in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

“Pj is talented in breaststroke and he is good at all other strokes, also,” swim head coach Joe Abing said.

McCarthy was 2nd in the team at All-South Coast Conference.

“My motivation for state was on how good I actually was,” McCarthy said.

In the first meet against Palomar, McCarthy clocked in at 23.48, which was good for 19th.In the 50-yard freestyle and came in 33rd place in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 32.51.

“I didn’t do well, but I really wasn’t sure if I was going to swim this season, and just before the Palomar meet, I began training, but I’m getting my strength back slowly,” Mccarthy said.

McCarthy feels that Gabayeron is a big motivation for his performance.

 “I’m excited PJ is back. He is a motivation to me and he is faster and has showed me how talented he is,” he said.

A back injury was the cause to him being slower at his first meet.

“I had a muscle spasm in my back and haven’t been able to swim for 5 days,” McCarthy said.

The next meet will be the South Coast Conference Pentathlon on Feb. 18 in the Falcon Aquatics Center.