Mount Si senior swimmer Chase Goulart fared very well last Saturday, Feb. 20, in the two events he competed at in the state 3A boys’ swimming championships in Federal Way.

Goulart took one state crown and finishing high in the other event.

Goulart won the title in the 200 meter individual medley race, clocking a time of 1:56.49 to take the crown. He then competed in the 500 meter freestyle event and picked up fourth with a time of 4:44.41. The two solid results enabled Mount Si to finish 18th as a team in the state 3A meet.

Goulart set himself up well in preliminary action last Friday, Feb. 19, as he took third in the individual medley preliminary heat with a time of 1:56.81, and finished fifth in the freestyle preliminary heat with a time of 4:48.43.

Goulart was the lone Mount Si entrant in the swim meet; the school does not have a swim team so the Wildcat senior competed with Issaquah during the regular season, as is allowed under WIAA rules.

“It was huge,” Goulart said of the win. “It’s my senior year, so to actually win, it’s just huge for me.”

“He won that race in the last ten yards and probably by a fingernail,” said Goulart’s coach, Laura Halter.

Goulart’s accomplishment is well deserved, she added. Over the last four years, Goulart has become more confident in his abilities.

In the water, Goulart is calm and collected.

“I go out there and compete to the best of my ability,” he said. “I hope that this inspires people.”