Countdown to WPIALs: Gateway’s Olivia Livingston aims to defend record-setting freestyle titles
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Sunday, February 18, 2018 | 5:09 PM
Tribune-Review sports reporter Michael Love and the TribLive High School Sports Network will be profiling 10 swimmers to watch leading up to the 2018 WPIAL championship meet, set for March 1-2 at the Pitt's Trees Pool.
TRIBHSSN is the exclusive audio and video home for the WPIAL Class AAA and AA championship meets, which will be broadcasted and video streamed live at TribHSSN.triblive.com.
Here is the first installment of a 10-part series featuring some of the area's top swimmers.
Olivia Livingston
School: Gateway
Class: Sophomore
Events: 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay
2017 WPIAL results: 50 freestyle, 1st (22.83 seconds); 100 freestyle, 1st (49.53); 200 medley relay, 22nd (1:53.83); 200 free relay, 12th (1:41.63).
Livingston no longer is just a hunter.
She understands that she is the hunted as the WPIAL Class AAA championships draw closer.
Livingston made quite a splash in her WPIAL finals debut last year at Pitt's Trees Pool.
Her inaugural efforts included record-breaking swims in both the 50 and 100 freestyles.
The new mark in the 100 free eclipsed by almost one second the previous record of Oakland Catholic graduate and U.S. Olympian Leah Smith.
The winning performances didn't stop for Livingston at WPIALs as she went on to claim the state title in the 50 free at Bucknell University with a record time of 22.73.
As she tries to hold off several top challengers to her WPIAL crowns, she also is on a mission to better her own times.
Everything will play out as the WPIAL championships return to Trees Pool on March 1 and 2.
Livingston said that in addition to her WPIAL goals, she hopes to make it back to Bucknell for a shot at the 100 free championship after finishing runner-up in the event in 2017.
Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.
Tags: Gateway
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