In a sport where every second can determine whether you win or lose, sticking to consistent training, hard work, and mindset is inevitable. Many swimmers even consider it necessary for success in competition. 

This is the reality for the 200 Individual Medley (IM) State advancer, Victoria Ciriaco, who was the first IHS swimmer to place fourth in Region, on Feb. 7, 2023. 

The 200 IM is a swimming event that consists of a 200-yard race in which you do 50 yards of each stroke: 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke, and 50 freestyle.

To work towards advancing to State, Ciriaco dedicated one hour and 30 minutes every day to swimming. 

“I have practice around 7:00 a.m. every morning and we work on different aspects of the race to prepare myself,” said Ciriaco, varsity swimmer. “[I work] on turns at the wall, breath control, tempo, and my endurance during the race.”

Ciriaco found that the most difficult hurdle to get over was the mental aspect of the race.

“Having to give my all in practice is not just a physical challenge but a mental one as well. I know that if I don’t practice how I plan on racing, I won’t be able to go the times I want to go,” said Ciriaco. “[And since] The 200 IM is already a very physically demanding and tiring race, applying it in practice, and training my body to ignore the pain is really tough.”

Additionally, during her competition, Ciriaco found hardship in remaining calm and collected. 

“I was extremely nervous and stressed going into Region,” said Ciriaco. “This was the first time in a long while that I got really anxious. It took a lot of trust in myself, motivating talks with my coaches, and music to prepare myself to race.”

Despite this, Ciriaco feels that the biggest factor in her success was the support of the people around her.

“Talking to my peers, coaches, and friends that all believe in me and understand me is critical to my success in the water,” said Ciriaco. “Swimming is a very individual sport, and it can turn lonely if you don’t have a solid support system and family that has your back. Therefore, having my team and my coach made practices easier to get through, and allowed me to trust myself [during] swim meets.”

Victoria Ciriaco’s father, Teomar Ciriaco, noted how he always supported her swimming journey. 

“I’ve always encouraged her to try her best from a very young age and go the extra mile, even when she doubts herself. I love volunteering at meets or being in the stands so I can support and push her,” said Teomar. 

Teomar Ciriaco is proud of his daughter’s achievements in swimming. 

“I’m immensely happy she made State, I know she works hard every day and this means a lot to her as well,” said Teomar. 

Victoria Ciriaco finds that her biggest goal for State is to have self-improvement. 

“I don’t have any super high expectations at State since it’s so incredibly competitive, but I’m extremely excited to see how much time I can drop,” said Victoria Ciriaco. 

Nevertheless, Ciriaco is happy with the strides she has made in swimming.

“Regardless, I’m super proud of myself and how far I’ve come since freshman year and within this season,” said Ciriaco. “It’s super gratifying to see how hard work from both myself, my coaches, and my team has paid off and changed me into a better swimmer and person.”