Maybe Anna Keating should open a jewelry store. The Madison High School graduate certainly has enough rings and – a watch or two, at least – to display.
Over the past six seasons, Keating has been a member of high school and college swimming and diving teams that have won many significant titles, and received multiple championship rings and some other keepsakes as a result.
Recently, the breaststroker placed in two races to help the University of Virginia women’s team win a second straight NCAA Division I national crown. Days earlier, she helped the team repeat as Atlantic Coast Conference champs.
During her preceding four years for the Madison girls, Keating won multiple individual races and was part of winning relays to help the Warhawks win district, region and state titles all four seasons.
“It’s been crazy and kind of keeps carrying over. I just keep getting and winning rings, and I’m running out of fingers,” Keating joked. “My friends keep joking with me about that and asking, ‘How many rings do you have now?’ Maybe I’ll have to start putting them on my toes or something.”
Keating said comparing the high-school and college championships is interesting.
“Winning those titles in high school was a huge thing and a big deal for sure,” she said. “But in college, at the national championships? Winning that is different. So many of the fastest swimmers from all over the world are at that meet. So nothing compares to winning national championships.”
At this season’s national-championship meet, Keating finished eighth in the 200-yard breaststroke and 13th in the 100 breast. Her times were both All-American marks. Her preliminary time of 2:06.89 in the 200 was a personal best.
“That was a big goal of mine, go get a p.r. [personal record] in that race,” Keating said.
She placed among the top eight in each race at the ACC meet.
Keating swam multiple strokes when she competed for the Madison team. She has become more of a breaststroke specialist for Virginia, participating in last summer’s United States Olympic trials in those 100 and 200 breaststroke races.
At age 9, Keating began swimming during the Northern Virginia Swimming League summer campaign for the Vienna Aquatic Club Gators. She continued with that team until graduating from Madison. Keating helped the Gators win a Division 2 championship in 2012.
She can’t recall if championship rings were issued for winning that prize.