Italian exchange student among top Valley swimmers in state meet

PALMER — Gabe Vestri-Giovanni has a region title, but he is not done.

Before the Italian exchange student returns to his home country, he's hoping to haul in more hardware. Vestri-Giovanni will be among a group of Valley swimmers competing in the ASAA/First National Bank State Swimming and Diving Championships Friday and Saturday at Bartlett High School.

"The region title means to me that I will go to state and I will try to be a state champion. Also it is hard. I will try to get the best time that I can do and beat everybody if I can do it," said Vestri-Giovanni.

Vestri-Giovanni has always been a fast swimmer. His emergence as one of the best sprint freestylers in the state did not come easy, though. In Italy, Vestri-Giovanni competes in rescue swimming. Competing in swimming in the United States meant a change from meters to yards, which has been a difficult transition. Colony head coach Dawn Brettrager said that with no previous qualifying times in the United States, she had to enter him into his first race with no time, a race he easily won. Since his first race, he has been turning heads.

Vestri-Giovanni is part of two relay teams that are chasing history. The Knights 200 and 400 freestyle relay team of Jake Simmons, Konnor Kolberg, Ryan Chastain and Vestri-Giovanni have the 10th fastest times in Alaska high school swimming history for their events. The relay team overcame extraordinary circumstances as both Kolberg and Chastain were unable to compete for much of the season.

Simmons’ 100 butterfly time of 50.17 was good enough for the fourth fastest time in state history, and his 100 backstroke was good for second.

A plethora of records fell at the region tournament. To place, or even win on the biggest stage, swimmers will need to be at their best.

"Oh, it would be amazing, an Italian won the Alaskan title? For me would be that amazing. For me would be really, really hard, but I can do it. I can reach ahead of him that is what my goal is," said Vestri-Giovanni.

Swimming fast is no different for Vestri-Giovanni in the United States than it is in Italy. However, the team camaraderie is a new aspect he is happy to embrace.

"Wearing green is new for me. [In] my country there is no school sport. It is first time I have the pride for a school. it is really amazing to be the leader in my specialty and I'm really happy to be a Knight and do what I did," said Vestri-Giovanni.

Vestri-Giovanni has only increased the competition of a stacked sprint freestyler crowd in Alaskan swimming. Though Vestri-Giovanni dominated much of the season, he lost in the 100 freestyle final to Palmer’s Max Snelders.

Snelders was shocked to see the arrival of such a fast sprinter, and shifted his focus to longer distances where he has found success. Snelders won both the 100 and 200 freestyle events in school record time. The two fastest times in state history in the 50 freestyle were recorded this year by Anchorage swimmers. Perhaps the toughest competition Vestri-Giovanni has faced is that of Kodiak super-swimmer Talon Lindquist, who has his name on the state record books for every individual event and owns the record for three of them. Vestri-Giovanni faces Lindquist in the final leg of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

"Talon is a really good swimmer and when I race against him I feel like we are competition and make myself the fastest times I can do," said Vestri-Giovanni.

Vestri-Giovanni's time in the United States will not only be marked by the times he clocked in the pool, but his connection with his new teammates. Vestri-Giovanni picked Inno de Mameli, the Italian National Anthem, for his walkup song prior to breaking the school record and winning the region title in the 50 freestyle. It helps him be comfortable and at home in the pool, while feeling a distinct sense of pride for his country.

"I'm sure I will miss your National Anthem because it's amazing. [It] make my skin like with high hair and it's really happy to see everybody see their flag and sing to that," said Vestri-Giovanni. "I will miss the people in my team and I will miss the amazing job that we're doing here and when we come back I'm happy. I'm happy. "

Vestri-Giovanni is one of 21 Colony athletes who qualified for the state meet, which starts Friday at 1 p.m. at Bartlett. Palmer moved 11 athletes into the state meet, and Wasilla had eight qualify.

The championship finals are slated for Saturday at 1 p.m.

Contact freelance writer Tim Rockey at timothy.rockey@gmail.com.