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All-Region Boys Swimming: Josh Bottelberghe, Columbia River

His breakfast of champions comes with a healthy dose of a mother's love

By Meg Wochnick, Columbian staff writer
Published: March 11, 2017, 10:39pm
2 Photos
Columbia River swimmer Josh Bottelberghe, who is our all-region boys swimmer of the year, is pictured in The Columbian&#039;s photo studio Monday afternoon, Feb. 27, 2017.
Columbia River swimmer Josh Bottelberghe, who is our all-region boys swimmer of the year, is pictured in The Columbian's photo studio Monday afternoon, Feb. 27, 2017. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian) Photo Gallery

Josh Bottelberghe, like the most serious swimmers, is up before the sun.

Without fail, his daily ritual at 5 a.m. starts with a heavy helping of eggs, bacon and toast prepared by his mother, Sheri.

It’s not so much the breakfast as it is the love and gratitude the Columbia River High School junior has for the person he views as helping him get to where he is today: now a three-time individual high school state champion swimmer.

“I definitely wouldn’t be able to do it without her,” the 17-year-old said.

Bottelberghe, The Columbian’s All-Region boys swimmer of the year, is part of a long line of standout swimmers in his family. His older sisters, Jessica and Monica, also won state swimming titles at River, and while Josh is continuing the family legacy, he’s also creating his own.

He earned Class 2A’s swimmer of the meet at last month’s state championships, setting meet-record times in the 200 free (1 minute, 39.87 seconds) and 100 breaststroke (55.01) and also swam the leadoff leg of the Chieftains’ state title-winning 200 free relay (1:30.71).

That led to River’s first top-4 finish at state in boys swimming.

Individually, he set a meet-record in the relay, too. His 21.01 split goes down as a meet record in the 50 freestyle. The WIAA counts relay split leadoff times as meet records, if achieved by the swimmer, because it’s an official start to a race.

Bottelberghe swims not only what he feels is swimming’s most difficult race (200 free), but his favorite race isn’t offered at the high school level.

The 200 breaststroke is the same stroke and technique as the 100 breast, but twice the distance. He idolizes American breaststroker Kevin Cordes, a 2016 Olympian, and world-record holder Adam Peaty of Great Britain.

And for Bottelberghe, it’s the finer details of the 100 breast, such as tempo and turn transitions, that helped elevate him to repeat as a state champion.

Last season, he won the 100 breast in Class 3A.

At the same time, he also describes the 200 free as a balancing act between speed and strategizing so burnout doesn’t happen mid-race, he said.

“I like watching people race it almost as much as I like swimming it,” Bottelberghe said.

One of them is his good friend, Mark Kim of Camas. The junior repeated as Class 4A’s 200 and 500 free state champion last month.

While it might be a toss-up who touches the wall first if the pair squared off in the 200 free, Bottelberghe said it’d be a race worth watching.

“We would race it all the way to the wall,” he said. “That’d be fun.”

His 200 free time at state was a personal best, and 2.70 seconds off Olympic gold medalist and ex-Bremerton

High swimmer Nathan Adrian’s overall state-record time from 2006.

That’s a goal, among others, Bottelberghe wants to hit in 2018 … with his usual side of eggs, bacon and toast.

“To say you broke Nathan Adrian’s 200 free record,” Bottelberghe said, “would be quite the accomplishment.”

All-Region Boys Swimming Team

All-Region swimmer of the year: Josh Bottelberghe, junior, Columbia River

Maksim Dolbinin, senior, Heritage

The 2016 state champion in the 4A 50 free closed out his high school career with two more top-4 state finishes: fourth in the 100 free (47.25) and fifth in the 50 free (21.50).

Mark Kim, junior, Camas

Repeated as 4A state champion in the 200 and 500 freestyles, helping the Papermakers win their first team state title in boys swimming.

Rob Mead, junior, Columbia River

Was the 2A 100 free state champion (47.31) and runner-up in the 100 back (51.29) free in his first year swimming for the Chieftains.

Isaiah Ross, soph., Washougal

Placed third in the 200 free (1:45.65) and fourth in the 500 free (4:47.41) at state. His 500 free time at districts also set a meet record.

Tom Utas, senior, Camas

Capped his high school career winning the 4A 50 freestyle (21.07) and a third-place finish in the 100 free (46.74) at state.

Eric Wu, soph., Camas

Finished third in the 200 IM (1:54.29) and fifth in the 100 breaststroke (57.57) at state. His 100 breast district time also broke a 12-year meet record.

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