BEACON FALLS — The first time Dia Gawronski got into the pool for the Woodland girls swim team she hardly noticed the competition in the next lane. After all her toughest competitor is herself, according to the junior transfer student.
“Every time I get in the pool I’m trying to better my time from the last race,” said Gawronski, who transferred to Woodland this year from Cheshire Academy. “So I don’t concern myself too much with the swimmer in the next lane. I’m my toughest competitor.”
Transferring to Woodland wasn’t much of a transition for Gawronski, who attended Long River Middle school with a lot of her teammates before heading off to Cheshire Academy for her freshman and sophomore years. She made her presence felt, though, right from the start of the season.
In her first varsity swim meet with the Hawks, a 96-81 win over Jonathan Law of Milford, the junior sensation broke school records in the 200 IM (2:16.75) and the 500 freestyle (5:19.68).
That helped set the tone for how well the team did this season. The Hawks ended the regular season 10-2 and finished fourth at the NVL championships.
“At Cheshire Academy everyone is required to do a minimum of two sports,” Gawronski said. “I did swimming and cross country. But you get a lot of kids doing a sport because it’s a requirement and the commitment level is just not the same. On the Woodland team everyone is so into it and are working so hard to get better, and that’s why we had so much success this year. I’m having so much fun to be part of this group of girls and I’m so happy that I made the change.”
Gawronski was named the most outstanding performer at the NVL meet with wins in the 200 IM (2:10.61) and the 100 butterfly (58.15). She broke her previous school record in the 200 IM, and set the Kennedy pool record and a new Woodland record in the 100 butterfly.
All in all, she set five schools records heading into the Class S state championships on Wednesday, including the 50 freestyle (25.48) and the 100 breaststroke (1:13.62).
“I was part of all the relay records at Cheshire Academy and also set a few individual records as well. But I have never been to anything as exciting as the NVLs,” Gawronski said. “And I have swam at the YMCA Nationals but the NVL meet was just so exciting. Winning an event is great and you are getting points for your team, but I always want to race against myself. I would like to go on and do this in college and when it comes down to it, I’m my biggest competitor.”
Woodland head coach Mike Magas credited Gawronski’s success to an incredible work ethic.
“Her work ethic is amazing,” Magas said. “She is by far one of the hardest workers I’ve seen.”
Gawronski attributed her performance this year to her teammates and coaches.
“I honestly owe so much to my coaches and my teammates for all their support and helping me to achieve all that I have this year,” she said. “I just like coming to practices with the environment that is here, I’m so thankful to be part of this team.”
