Swimming: That winning feeling returns as Haverford’s Hart downs record

PHILADELPHIA >> Five times in her storied high school career, Haverford’s Maddie Hart has risen to the top step of the District One podium at La Salle University’s Kirk Natatorium. Friday’s ascent held the same wonderment for the senior. Hart claimed her fourth career individual District One Class AAA title by besting the field in the 100 butterfly, setting a district and Delaware County record in 54.03 seconds.

The time undercuts the mark set by West Chester East’s Christina Leander in 2013, Hart’s freshman year, one of the few instances in which she was denied gold. Hart’s time is quicker than the 54.14 she turned in last year at states, the previous Delco mark. With all those plaques and trophies, you might think the luster has faded. Not so for the jovial Hart.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it,” the reigning Daily Times female swimmer of the year and last year’s District One Class AAA most outstanding swimmer said. “… After finishing the 100 fly, I looked up at the scoreboard and, I don’t know, it puts a smile on your face. I just remember all four years, and that always happened. You just look up at the scoreboard and you’re like, ‘I like that.’ It’s a great feeling.”

The swim could’ve been faster had Hart not gotten caught between strokes at the wall, gliding home a fraction before the onrushing Brittany Weiss of Pennridge to claim her third straight fly title. Weiss, a frequent foil for Hart down the years, took home second in 54.22, also under Leander’s mark. Hart’s time nearly fulfilled one of the main goals driving her this year.

“I like setting really high goals, goals that scare you,” she said. “I remember in the beginning of the year when I sat down with (coach) Matt (Stewart), I said, ‘I want to go 53 by the end of the year.’ That was like, I don’t know if that’s going to happen. That’s a scary thing to say.”

Radnor’s Julia Cullen finished fourth in 55.84, among the five automatic berths to the PIAA Championships.

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Haverford’s Maddie Hart swims to victory in the 100 butterfly in a District One Class AAA record time of 54.03 seconds. (For Digital First Media/Barry Taglieber)