All-District Boys Swimmer of the Year shaved time – and legs – to become state champion

The secret to Andrew Britton’s success isn’t contained to the pool.

Sure, he is a faithful student of the sport. Between water polo and swimming, the soon-to-be senior at Gregori High spends so much time in the water, he may as well have gills.

But there’s more to his swift rise.

Britton was one of the stars of the CIF State Swim and Dive Championships at the Clovis Olympic Swim Complex. He captured the 100-yard breaststroke title in 54.94 seconds, becoming the first swimmer in Stanislaus District history to wear a state crown.

“Going into the season, I told my dad and coach (Ripon Aquatics’ Erik Zador) I wanted to go to State and get a podium finish,” Britton said. “Looking back on all of it, it’s so surreal and unimaginable. I still can’t believe it happened. I was just looking to get onto the podium, not finish on top of it.”

Britton edged training partner and longtime friend Ty Wells of Ripon High at the Sac-Joaquin Section and State meets.

Wells owns the faster time in the 100 breaststroke – a blazing 54.87 in qualifying at State – but when it counted, Britton touched the wall first in both final heats.

“Once you’re a state champion, you’re a state champion for life,” Britton said. “It’s something you carry with you forever and can pass down to your kids. It’s something I can hold onto and use to push myself to strive for greatness in and out of the pool.”

How did he get here?

Careful science ... and his mother’s razor.

The Bee’s All-District Swimmer of the Year credits the yardage and workouts, nutrition and rest, and shaving for his postseason gains.

Yes, shaving.

“You feel so much faster,” said Britton, also the reigning All-District Boys Water Polo Player of the Year. “You dive into the water and feel like a missile. You glide through it so much easier.”

You can’t argue the results.

Following his date with the razor and cream, Britton dropped two seconds in the 100 breaststroke and three seconds in the 200 individual medley.

He won the 100 breaststroke in 54.91 seconds at the section meet at Tokay High, where he also qualified for State in the 200 IM with a fourth-place finish (1:52.36).

Britton was seeded No. 1 in the 100 breaststroke going into State, but was overtaken in preliminaries by Wells. The see-saw battle continued in the finals as Britton held nothing back.

“I didn’t think I was capable of going 54,” he said. “I went for it and it paid off in the end.”

As long as he’s handing out praise, Britton acknowledges Well’s role as the part-time wingman/part-time antagonist in his storybook postseason.

With three consecutive State appearances and one silver medal, Wells ranks among the most accomplished swimmers in Stanislaus District history.

“Every day, in and out of the pool, we’re together,” Britton said. “We’re always talking and texting one another. It’s an awesome friendship.”

And healthy rivalry.

The two share a lane at practice, which turns every workout into a competition. Iron sharpening iron.

“He beat me the last two years, so it’s going to be back and forth,” Britton said. “Who will edge the other in the final race?”

This story was originally published June 14, 2017 at 2:55 PM with the headline "All-District Boys Swimmer of the Year shaved time – and legs – to become state champion."