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Both events are relatively new for Berning. She started competing in the 500 free last season and placed 15th at state. She picked up the 200 free this season after dropping the 100 fly — her best high school event — to reduce the strain on her back after an injury.
Berning enters state with the fifth-best time from all the statewide district meets. She swam the distance in 4 minutes, 54.8 seconds at Miami University last Saturday, good for third place at district behind Centerville sophomore and good friend Nicola Lane (4:54.21) and Mason senior Allison Bloebaum (4:52.56).
She’s also seeded No. 9 in the 200 free.
“Our district is like the fastest in Ohio. Districts is like mini-state,” the Ohio University recruit said. “It kind of gives me confidence that I know I’ve beaten those girls before and I can do it again.”
The effort surprised both Berning and her coach, her mom Krista, considering Berning missed school most of last week with the flu.
“I’m really happy with how I swam at district. I was not expecting to go that fast feeling pretty crappy still,” Berning said. “Obviously I want to win at state, but I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself. I want to go and have fun at my last state meet.”
In her three previous trips to Canton, Berning qualified in the 100 fly as a freshman (finishing 12th), 100 fly as a sophomore (6th) and 100 fly (11th) and 500 free (15th) as a junior.
The goal at state, in addition to winning, of course, is to finish with a sub 4:50.
A sprinter at heart, Berning said moving to the 500 free wasn’t difficult, especially after swimming longer events like open water 5Ks and the mile. The longer distance also gives her more time to do something else she loves — come up with a race strategy.
“I did the 100 fly because they don’t offer the 200 fly in high school swimming,” said Berning, who also trains with the Dayton Raiders. “I started training more distance to better my 200 fly and it transitioned into the 500 really well. I like it better (than the 100). It’s more time to race. The 100 fly is all out; there’s no strategy. There’s a lot of strategy in the 500, which I really like.”
She plans to swim both the 200 fly and 500 free at Ohio University, plus either the 100 fly or the 200 free. Ohio coach Rachel Komisarz-Baugh called Berning “one of the best butterfly prospects in the country.”
Berning, who started swimming when she was 3, spends about 24 hours a week in the pool training. She said typically she gets two weeks off a year: one at the beginning of school and one at the end of school. She wouldn’t have it any different.
“I just want to race,” she said. “ I love racing and this is my last hurrah, so hopefully I place well. I’m not too nervous. I’ve been to Canton so many times with my brother and my four years. I’m looking to have fun and race and be with my friends.”
Berning’s brother, Christian, also swam at state and spent two years swimming at Eastern Michigan.
“It’s just part of our family,” said Krista Berning, who also swam in high school. “I don’t know how else to describe it. Her older brother swam so she was like, hey I want to do that. We just threw her in the water and she never quit. … They make me incredibly proud because it’s a very demanding life. You swim three hours a day, every week, 52 weeks a year. It’s definitely a lifestyle commitment.”
So, who will be more nervous at state this weekend — mom and coach Krista or daughter Margaret?
“It’s just a great meet to be there. Once you get there that’s kind of like the best reward,” Coach Berning said. “I was extremely nervous going into the district meet because she had been so ill. She had a horrible cough and I had no idea how she was going to be able to swim those distances. I will not be nervous at state. I will enjoy my last time at state with my daughter.”
Other high-seeded swimmers to watch at the Division I girls state meet include Centerville’s Lane (No. 4 seed in 500 free and No. 5 in 100 back); Springboro sophomore Maggie Clough (No. 6 in 100 back) and Beavercreek sophomore Peyton Farrell (No. 7 in 100 fly).
Division II swimmers include Arcanum junior Isabella Gable (No. 1 in 200 free and No. 3 in 100 back), Chaminade Julienne senior Macleary Moran (No. 2 in 500 free and No. 3 in 200 free), Waynesville senior Kierstyn Cassidy (No. 4 in 500 free and No. 5 in 200 freestyle), Brookville junior Emma Swabb (No. 6 in 200 free and No. 9 in 100 free), Alter sophomore Kate Lair (No. 4 in 200 IM and No. 8 in 500 free), Oakwood senior Isa All (No. 6 in 200 IM), Carroll junior Emily Sullivan (No. 2 in 100 fly) and Oakwood senior Juliana Chen (No. 8 in 100 fly).
STATE SWIMMING
Wednesday
2 p.m. – Boys Div. II Diving Preliminaries, Semifinals & Finals
9 a.m. – Girls Div. II Diving Preliminaries, Semifinals & Finals
Thursday
9 a.m. – Girls Div. I Diving Preliminaries, Semifinals & Finals
5 p.m. – Girls & Boys Div. II Swimming Preliminaries
Friday
9 a.m. – Girls & Boys Div. I Swimming Preliminaries
5 p.m. – Girls & Boys Div. II Swimming Finals
Saturday
9 a.m. – Boys Div. I Diving Preliminaries, Semifinals & Finals
4 p.m. —Girls & Boys Div. I Swimming Finals
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