Boy athlete of the week: Max Horrell, Analy senior, swimming

He’s been competing in his sport so long, he’s known around the Analy campus as The Swimmer, Max Horrell.

Horrell won his two events last weekend at the Sonoma County League championships and set an SCL record with his 49.45 in the 100 butterfly, also second all-time in the Empire. He also won the 100 back in 54.78.

“He’s really loose, fun to be around and doesn’t over-analyze his races,” said Analy coach Lehla Irwin. “His freshman year he got a bunch of his friends to join the team and they’ve all ended up swimming four years.”

Not that Horrell isn’t serious about his favorite sport. He trains with the Marin Pirates Swim Club, which means trips to Marin County a couple of times a week before and after school.

His club swim coach, Warren Lager, said Horrell is one of his best swimmers and ranks among the best in the nation in his age group in the butterfly.

At the end of last year, Horrell swam in the short course Senior Nationals in Atlanta and also the short course Junior Nationals in Orlando. He finished eighth in the 200 fly in Orlando. He also made the finals in four races at Orlando.

“He’s done weight lifting as well as a lot of pool work,” said Lager. “He trains extremely hard. And he’s going to get a lot better.”

Horrell will swim next year at UC Santa Barbara, receiving a partial scholarship. “It will be more serious with a lot more training,” said Horrell, who started competitively at age 10.

But first, Horrell is looking forward to this weekend’s NCS meet at Concord. Last year he finished third in the 100 fly and sixth in the 100 back. Horrell enters the meet the No.1 seed in the 100 fly.

“Max is very versatile,” Irwin said. “He can swim just about anything.”

— Rich Rupprecht