Bartlett swimmer sets state record in Florida meet

Kayla Filipek, a sophomore at Bartlett High School, broke the state record for females ages 15-16 by swimming the 50-yard freestyle in 22.50 seconds in Orlando at the 2015 NCSA Junior National Championships at the YMCA Aquatic Center, according to information submitted by her mother, Miriam Filipek.

Kayla was one of 60 members of the swimming club Academy Bullets who were at the national meet March 16-21.

The Bullets placed second in the Women's 200-yard freestyle relay, with Kayla's record followed by Avery Braunecker of Effingham High School at 22.8 seconds, Hanna Blankemeier of Oak Park/River Forest at 22.82 seconds and Jennifer Hauser of Lake Park High School at 22.97 seconds. The team time of 1 minute, 31.09 seconds was 1.5 seconds under the state team record in the race. The Bullets also finished in 11th place in the women's 800-yard free relay, anchored by Kayla with a team-leading time of 1 minute, 50.86 seconds, Miriam Filipek said.

The Academy Bullets Swim Club is based out of Aurora and also operates sites in Bartlett, Naperville, Riverside/Brookfield, Romeoville and Springfield.

Kayla has the fourth fastest time in the nation in the 50-yard freestyle for 16-year-olds. She is 15th for ages 18 and under, a group that can include college freshmen, Miriam Filipek said.

Kayla's high school team is a co-op with Streamwood High School named the SabreHawks. She broke six varsity swim records at her school freshman year and one in her sophomore year. Her swimming in two events at the state championships in Evanston gave Bartlett-Streamwood a 23rd-place finish, the first time the program was represented in the swimming and diving team standings.