Corey Okubo experienced the best of both worlds, and the accompanying valuable lesson.
The senior helped University’s boys swim team capture its first CIF-SS Division 1 title and achieved record-setting personal success.
For Okubo, the latter wouldn’t have been possible without him putting the Trojans first in his heart. It’s his reoccurring lesson in the sport.
“When you want to do well for your team, I think that’s what really brings out the best in you,” he said. “I think that’s what just led me through this whole season, propelled me through.”
Okubo not only landed atop Division 1 with his teammates but also was selected the Register’s boys swimmer of the year for a second consecutive season.
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The Princeton-bound swimmer lowered his county record in the 200-yard individual medley, clocked the second-fastest 100 butterfly in county history and raced on the Trojans’ county-record 200 medley relay.
But as Okubo blazed to the records, he also racked up points for a team seeking a breakthrough at CIF.
“I just try to contribute as much as possible to the team,” he said. “At the end, the cohesiveness was really the most important part. That was the key for us to win CIF.”
At the Division 1 finals, the Aquazot club swimmer defended his title in the 200 IM by stopping the clock in a county- and Division 1-record time of 1 minute, 45.42 seconds.
Showing masterful technique in all four strokes and strong underwater streamlines, Okubo sliced almost a 1½ seconds off his previous county record time of 1:46.87 from league finals a week earlier.
He also won a duel with his future Princeton teammate, Liam Karas of Corona del Mar. It was suggested earlier in the spring that the Okubo-Karas rivalry in the IM was the county’s version of the Michael Phelps–Ryan Lochte.
The Division 1 final seemed to validate the opinion.
“You can’t say he’s not part of my success,” Okubo said of Karas. “He pushed me really hard.”
Okubo also earned big points with a runner-up finish in the 100 butterfly. Okubo clocked a lifetime-best 47.53, the No. 2 time on the county’s all-time list.
In the 200 medley relay, Okubo teamed with Daniel Tran, Michael Schiffer and Will Hofstadter for a Division 1 and county record of 1:30.10
The meet-opening relay sent University toward a dominating victory in the team race over runner-up Loyola of Los Angeles.
“Corey definitely leads through actions and words,” Schiffer said. “He really sets the standard for all of us.”
Okubo said he tried to strengthen University’s focus this season by posting heat sheets on Facebook before meets.
“We had this Facebook group and all the captains, me, Michael (Schiffer), Spencer Kubit and Sam Lee, all posted stuff,” he said. “Just to get each other pumped up, set our goals on there and know what we needed to do.”
Okubo finished his season where he wanted to be – celebrating with teammates. “Can’t ask for more than that,” he said.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
