Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 4/7/05)

Bishop O’Connell junior Kate Ziegler finished first in both the 800 meter and 1500 meter freestyle events this week at the World Championship Trials in Indianapolis. The 16-year-old swimming sensation automatically qualifies for these events in the World Championships to be held in July in Montreal.

Ziegler's time of 16:26.59 in the 1500 was more than 16 seconds faster than second place finisher Claire Hutchinson of North Baltimore.

Ziegler was named Female Swimmer of the Year by the Washington Post. She broke a national independent high school record in the 500-yard freestyle in February at the Metro Championships held at the Montgomery Aquatic Center in Rockville.

Ziegler's time of 4:37.67 surpassed Janelle's Atkinson's 1999 record of 4:37.91. Ziegler has another year left of high school competition to go after Janet Evans' overall national high school record of 4:37.30.  

In early March Ziegler won her first two World Cup titles in the 800m and 400m freestyle. She broke an American record in the 800m. The high school junior trains year-round with the FISH swim club.

Ziegler is now a three-time All-Met selection who also swims in the summer for Great Falls in the Northern Virginia Swim League (NVSL).