Tyler Messerschmidt was last year’s 100 and 200 freestyle state champ at the 4A-II state meet, but that doesn’t quite tell the full story. In the 200, he broke the all-time state record with a time of 1:38.00, nearly eights seconds better than his next-fastest opponent. He also swam All-American qualifying times in both races and made the All-Arizona team in both events. He has also set sights on qualifying for the 2012 Olympics and according to an Arizona Republic article written last summer, he’s already reached marks that would easily qualify him for the 2012 Olympic Trials (although the official marks for qualification haven’t been released yet). He’s also a lifeguard and plays the drums in a band with friends. Photo By Dave Cruz