The family that ... swims together ... wins together?
That was certainly the case last weekend at the Bay State Summer Games, as 16-year-old Johnathan Jones; his father, 40-year-old Michael Yunker; and his grandmother, 63-year-old Carol Yunker, medaled in their respective events at Harvard University in Cambridge.
Bay State Games athletes also receive jackets for top finishes.
Rick Battistini, girls swimming coach at Haverhill High, the New Wave Swim Club and the Andover/North Andover YMCA Masters Swim team, coached each member of the family and says that their hard work paid off.
"Everyone swam faster than we expected," he said. "But (the three of them) are very, very dedicated workers. Once they're in the pool, they're all business."
In the inaugural Bay State Summer Games in 1981, only four sports and 300 athletes were represented in the Games. Now, 29 years later, the event has grown to represent over 8,000 athletes from more than 300 Massachusetts towns competing in 29 sports.
"(The games) have gotten much more competitive," Battistini said. "It's been the development from a pretty small meet to a pretty intense at now a great facility."
Johnathan, who started swimming for Haverhill High School last fall, joined the New Wave club this summer.
He finaled in two individual events and one medley relay in the boys 16-18 division. Jones and his team won the 400 meter medley relay in 5:00.82, with Jones swimming a 1:14.03 freestyle leg. Jones came in sixth in the 100 meter backstroke and seventh in the 200 meter backstroke.
"Within three weeks of competing in high school meets, he was already swimming faster than me in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle," his grandmother said. "He continues to amaze me at how fast he is improving and how nice he swims technically."
Michael Yunker started swimming 34 years ago and competed in the Bay State Games as a teenager. He swims now for the Andover/North Andover Y team and serves as a coach for both the Y and New Wave clubs. He competed in two individual events — 200 meters individual medley and 100 meters freestyle — in the men's 34 to 49 age group. He came in second in the 200 meter race, while racing to a 59.57 time in the 100 meter freestyle. His sub-1:00 mark was one of only seven in the meet.
"That's an amazing time for anybody at any age, but for him to swim that fast at his age is one amazing swim," Battistini said. "I'm sure that ranks him nationally at his age group. He's got to be in the top 5 percent."
Carol Yunker swims for the Andover/North Andover Y and competed in four individual events in the women's 50 and over division. She won the 800 meter freestyle, came in third in the 100 meter backstroke, fourth in 400 meter freestyle and fourth in the 200 meter backstroke.
For Yunker, a multiple time national champion including twice in 2009 alone, the Games weren't about victories or winning the jacket. They were about sharing her love and passion for swimming.
"Having a third generation carry on my love for this sport is a bonus that I never thought about," she said. "The three of us with our success at the Games has to be one of the highlights of my career."
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