Huntington's Leroy seizes opportunity with titles
Huntington's Pierre Leroy center, stands in first place on the podium after winning the Boys 50 Yard Freestyle during the 2023 NYSPHSAA Boys Championship meet in Ithaca, N.Y., Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Photo by Heather Ainsworth) Credit: Heather Ainsworth/Heather Ainsworth
Salute To The Champs: Huntington/Harborfields/Whitman's Pierre Leroy
Pierre Leroy had finished the 500-yard freestyle at last year’s state swimming championships. He didn’t win, but he knew he might a year later.
“I finished fourth and two of the people [ahead] were graduating,” Leroy said. “I thought I had a pretty good chance of winning.”
The Huntington senior indeed took the state and Federation titles at Ithaca College in March with an All-American consideration time — 4:32.42.
“He worked very hard,” said coach Sean Montalvo, who also saw Leroy place second in the state and third in the Federation in the 200 freestyle. “… He lost one race at leagues, the 200 free. It sort of set a fire under him. He’s like, ‘I’m not losing again.’ ”
His next school team will be Loyola.
“I think I’ll be successful at the college level because I’m still really dedicated to the sport,” Leroy said. “I want to see how far I can go.”
