SWIMMING: MAKING THEIR OWN WAY OCHOTORENA, BAIER FOLLOWING IN SIBLINGS' FOOTSTEPS.Byline: ERIK BOAL Special to the Daily News Being a younger sibling sibling /sib·ling/ (sib´ling) any of two or more offspring of the same parents; a brother or sister. sib·ling n. in an athletic family is never easy. Especially when your older brother happens to be a former section champion. Granada Hills High junior Chris Baier and Van Nuys sophomore Claudia Ochotorena know all about the expectations that come with carrying on the family legacy every time they get in the pool. William Baier won four City Section titles in the boys' 500-yard freestyle The code name for the MCE version of Windows. See Media Center Edition. at Granada Hills before heading to Cal State Bakersfield. Neil Ochotorena, now at Cal State Northridge, was a two-time champion in the 100 butterfly butterfly, any of a large group of insects found throughout most of the world; with the moths, they comprise the order Lepidoptera. There are about 12 families of butterflies. Most adult moths and butterflies feed on nectar sucked from flowers. at Grant of Van Nuys. Although Chris and Claudia might not be able to shake the ``younger brother'' or ``little sister'' labels just yet, they appear to be on their way to establishing their own reputations as two of the section's most dominant swimmers. ``It's kind of funny because people always look at me as `Neil's little sister,' but I really don't mind it,'' said Ochotorena, who enters today's City championship meet as the defending champion defending champion n (SPORT) → defensor/a m/f del título defending champion n (Sport) → champion(ne) en titre in the girls' 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. ``It's been pretty great. We get along well and we're really good friends.'' Neil watched with pride last year as Claudia made a big splash Big Splash could refer to:
Granada Hills' Katherine Nielson set the backstroke record of 58 seconds in 1998. Cleveland of Reseda's Amy Jones holds the butterfly mark of 58.27, set in 2000. ``There's a little more pressure,'' said Ochotorena, who clocked 59.39 in the backstroke and 59.53 in the butterfly last year. ``As a freshman, there's nothing really to it. But now coming back as the defending champion, you have to live up to it. There are more expectations. People start looking at the City record and they expect you to break it.'' Baier knows the City records in the 200 (1:39.47) and 500 (4:25.05) frees -- both held by former El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile highways linking the various New World colonies of Spain:
``I definitely want to scare him a little,'' said Baier, who took third in both events as a freshman while competing against William. ``As far as the City records, even next year, they'll be far away, but I just want to get as close as I can.'' Baier and Ochotorena - both of whom train with the San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Valley-based CCAT CCAT Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (Humboldt State University; Arcata, CA) CCAT Cornell Caltech Atacama Telescope CCAT Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test CCAT Competition Commission Appeals Tribunal club team - receive constant advice and support from their brothers, who competed against each other only once at the City finals, with William taking second and Neil third in the 100 backstroke in 2002. ``He does encourage me,'' Baier said. ``Even after a good race, he'll always have something to say to me to help me get better.'' Said Ochotorena: ``My brother always reminds me that I have to keep that (run of) butterfly titles going. I didn't do that well at sectionals (in March) and this is my opportunity to redeem redeem v. to buy back, as when an owner who had mortgaged his/her real property pays off the debt. The term also refers to paying the amount due and all charges after a foreclosure (due to failure to make payments when due) has begun. myself. I want to be able to continue the legacy.'' erik.boal@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Swimmers Chris Baier, top, and Claudia Ochotorena will try to defend their City titles. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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