Schools

Siblings Break Five Swimming Records At Williams School

In one season, Caius and Claudia Mergy earn several places in the New London private school's record book

When the Williams School swimming and diving team concluded its 2012-2013 season, there were five new school records on the books. And all of them had been earned by a pair of siblings.

Caius Mergy, a 17-year-old senior, set four new school records in the season. His sister, 13-year-old Claudia Mergy, also set a record in her first year on the team.

“I’m very excited for them,” said Williams School swim coach Dan Hanen. “One’s just beginning her career at Williams and the other’s ending it, and they’ve both accomplished quite a bit. It was a nice way to end for Caius and begin for Claudia.”

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Caius set two records on Jan. 26, swimming the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.14 and the 200 IM in 2:06.62. He broke the school’s 500 freestyle record on Feb. 2 with a time of 5:21.20 and the 200 freestyle record on Feb. 19 with a time of 1:55.31.

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“I don’t think anyone’s going to touch his records for a few years,” said assistant swim coach Susie Stritar.

Claudia set the school record in the 100 breaststroke on Feb. 19 with a time of 1:17.19.

Caius and Claudia live in Old Lyme and swim for the year-round Cougar Aquatic Team in Haddam-Killingworth as well as the Williams team. Caius has been swimming since he was in seventh grade, while Claudia started in fifth grade.

“My dad originally wanted me to do a sport,” said Caius. “We tried a lot of sports and eventually came to swimming.”

The siblings typically swim for two to three hours every day, with Williams practicing at the Coast Guard Academy, Connecticut College, or Sub Base New London based on which pool is available. Both are interested in music, with Caius playing bass guitar and drums and Claudia playing guitar. And both have made it to the high honors list.

Stritar said the Mergys’ work ethic is visible in the water as well, where both are aggressive competitors.

“There’s no one like the two of them,” she said. “They’re totally reliable. They’re totally competitive. They support the team members. They’re just absolutely beyond anything you could ask for.”

Caius said he was pleased to see the work pay off. In addition to qualifying for the USA Swimming sectionals in Virginia, he has signed on with the NCAA with swim at Middlebury College in the fall.

“I like just trying to compete with myself to constantly bring down my times, to constantly improve in the pool,” he said.

Claudia said she aimed to get her times below those required for certain championships. She plans to return for the 2013-2014 season.

“I like knowing that once I break one of my old times, my hard work paid off for the season,” she said.

Hagen said Caius has a strong athletic ability and swimming form, while Claudia has shown “sheer determination” in her races. He said it isn’t the first case of siblings doing well together, with brothers Jared and Justin Klee setting several school records; Jared’s time of 58.34 in the 100 fly hasn’t been bested since he set it in 2009.

With the 2012-2013 season as the only overlap between Caius and Claudia, Hagen said their combined efforts and success impressed the team and spectators.

“They’re two wonderful kids from a great family,” said Hagen. “We’re going to miss Caius and just looking forward to watching Claudia.”

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