Many standout high-school swimmers eventually settle on a favorite type of stroke they prefer in competition.
Not Eli Martin.
As his Washington-Liberty High School coach Kristina Dorville explains, the senior is more of a “Mr. Everything.”
During his now completed high-school career, Martin preferred to swim all of the four strokes, where possible and qualified, in the final three major meets of the season – district, region and state competition.
This winter, Martin capped his prep career with his biggest accomplishment – winning a state championship in the 100 breaststroke (54.65 seconds) at the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 boys state meet. He also finished second in the state in the individual medley (1:48.55).
At the preceding 6D North Region championships, Martin won the 200 freestyle and was sixth in the backstroke. He stuck to the freestyle at the Liberty District meet, winning the 500 free and taking second in the 200 free.
“What is unique about Eli is he truly is an all-around swimmer. He is the most all-around swimmer we’ve had here, and can swim literally anything we need him to,” said Dorville, who has coached the team for 18 seasons. “He is so disciplined and has a special work ethic to make that work, doesn’t complain and he likes to swim the different events.”
If having to choose, Martin said his favorite stroke is the breaststroke.
“I like to compete in different events to race different opponents, and keep things more interesting than swimming the same events over and over,” Martin told the GazetteLeader.
The swimmer finished his Washington-Liberty career with a handful of team records. Martin was a team captain this season, helping W-L finish third in the district meet, seventh in the region and 15th in the state.
Last winter, at the state meet, Martin was third in the breast and fourth in the IM.
While competing year round for the Arlington Aquatic Club, then after swimming for the Arlington Forest Tigers of the Northern Virginia Swimming League this coming summer, Martin will begin his collegiate swim career at Virginia Tech.
Martin also holds multiple team summer records for the Tigers, where he began his swimming career at age 8 and last summer was a top finisher in the age 15-18 breast at the league’s individual all-star meet.
NOTE: Martin will be another family member who will swim in college. His father was a college swimmer and his sister Natalie Martin currently swims for the Lehigh University women’s team.
