Versatile Goldsmith leads Palo Verde into Division I Sunset Region girls swimming and diving meet
Izzy Goldsmith’s muscles are sore from lifting weights, and she’s tired from the early-morning workouts.
But for the next week, none of that matters to the senior on Palo Verde’s girls swimming and diving team.
“I still plan on being competitive and racing hard,” Goldsmith said. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to go a best time, but even if I’m close, I think that would be fantastic.”
Goldsmith, who has been training with an eye on this summer’s Olympic Trials, will shift her focus to compete in the finals of the Division I Sunset Region meet.
The UCLA-bound standout is the three-time defending region champion in the 100-yard breaststroke and will go for her second straight title in the 50 freestyle starting at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at UNLV’s Buchanan Natatorium.
The Sunrise Region finals begin at 9:30 a.m. at Buchanan Natatorium. The top two finishers and the third-place finisher with the best time between the Sunrise and Sunset regions in each event qualify for the Division I state meet May 21 at Buchanan Natatorium.
“It’s really a test of how confident you can be in your ability to race on that day,” Goldsmith said. “And you just have to know no matter how tired you are, how sore you are, you have the muscle memory that will push you to go fast.”
Goldsmith grew up playing a variety of sports until she focused on swimming with the Sandpipers of Nevada club program starting in eighth grade. While breaststroke is her best event, Goldsmith’s versatility sets her apart in the pool.
“It’s not like it’s totally uncommon, but it is rare to have a swimmer … that you know you’re going to get a good, college swim in pretty much whatever event you put them in,” Palo Verde coach Brent Gonzalez said. “With some of them, it’s only three events, but with her, she’s got about six or seven events she’s going to be one of the top dogs.”
Goldsmith is a three-time Division I state champion in the 100 breaststroke, and her time of 1:02.71 as a freshman is No. 2 all time in state history, according to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association record book. Goldsmith also won state titles in the 200 freestyle as a freshman and the 50 free last season.
She qualified for the Olympic Trials, which take place June 26 through July 3 in Omaha, Nebraska, in the 400-meter individual medley.
“It’s fun for me because it seems like I have so many opportunities in so many different aspects of this sport,” Goldsmith said. “I really never get bored because I do have such a large amount of events that I can choose from to swim.”
Palo Verde ended Bishop Gorman’s run of four straight region team titles last season and is favored to repeat. In addition to Goldsmith, the Panthers feature college-bound seniors Hailey Houck (Cal Poly), Adriana Piccininni (Pacific) and Kasdyn Rafie (Pepperdine).
“I think Palo’s ability to get up there and race will really be shown in this,” Goldsmith said. “I think that going full force into a meet like regionals is what’s important for the next weekend at state just because it gives you that confidence.”
Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ