Zionsville Community High School senior Devon Kitchel decided to pass on the opportunity to defend her state championship in the 100-yard butterfly.
“I’ve been training a lot in my breaststroke and felt really, really confident,” Kitchel said. “It’s something new and different. I wanted to try and see how I could do.”
Kitchel won the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.18 at the IHSAA girls swimming and diving state finals Feb. 12 at the Indiana University Natatorium at IUPUI.
“I thought it was fun. Breaststroke has always been a special event for me, and I figured, why not do it?” Kitchel said.
The victory made Kitchel a double state champion for the third consecutive year. She won her third consecutive 200 individual medley state title in 1:57.82 and won the 100 butterfly as a sophomore.
“This meet is really emotionally draining,” Kitchel said. “It’s hard for my best (times), but I was happy with how the team did overall and how I did.”
The Eagles finished fifth in the team standings. Carmel captured the state title for the 36th consecutive year.
“A bunch of the younger girls really stepped up, so that was impressive to watch,” said Kitchel, who will swim for the University of Michigan in the 2022-23 season. “It makes me confident for the years after because I’m leaving, but I know they are going to keep doing their thing.”
Besides her victories, Kitchel was on the third-place 200 medley relay team with sophomores Molly Simmons, Madelyn Akin and junior Katie Buroker.
Kitchel said of all her events, she made the most improvement in the breaststroke this season.
“It was always the second or third stroke for me, and I really started prioritizing it in training, and I think I got a lot better,” Kitchel said.
Simmons placed fourth in the 100 backstroke. The 400 freestyle relay of Mattice, Buroker, Swiney and Simmons finished eighth.
