Peyton Weenum stepped up on the blocks for her first collegiate race, full of nerves and excitement.
The Aquinas College freshman from Zeeland dove in with 1,000 yards ahead of her.
In a race double the amount of the longest high school race, Weenum found a new gear and made the most of her first race, setting the Aquinas school record to win in 11:14.50.
"It was our very first meet of the season, so the energy was really high. I was just so high up on adrenaline. I was really excited to get in the water and go," Weenum said. "I love the 1,000, it is probably my favorite event. It was so cool to have that be my first official college event."
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It wasn't her first time swimming the 1,000 freestyle, however. She had competed a couple of times during club seasons - but it was nothing like this.
It was a big moment for the entire Aquinas team.
"I won't lie, watching Peyton break the school record in her first collegiate race gave me goosebumps and so much faith in the future of our women's program," Aquinas coach Kristy Hepp said. "My reaction wasn't solely connected to just her performance, but also to her leadership capabilities and the potential she has to carry our team further than we've ever been. It's not everyday that your top swimmer is also one of the kindest humans, confident yet humble, and a natural leader. Not many freshmen come in with the confidence to really go for it, yet Peyton knows what she's capable of and isn't afraid of a challenge."
Weenum bested her previous top time by 20 seconds.
"It was not expecting that at all. It was quite a big PR for me," she said. "It felt really good to put my name out there as someone who is going to come in and score points for the team."
Weenum said the transition to Aquinas and different training has led to more technique work on her stroke.
"I was a little nervous because I have only ever had coach Drew (Scheerhorn). I didn't know anybody but the community there is so welcoming," Weenum said. "The training style is a lot of what I am used to yardage-wise. It is hard and I am learning a lot, but it is good to push myself again.
"I have a really fast tempo. We have been working on pulling that back a little bit and slowing my arms down a little, but catching more water. Slowing down really helped keep me fresh for longer."
That longer, stronger pull is getting her across the pool with fewer strokes.
"Slowing down my stroke has been tough. I am a go-go-go person. Having to slow down and focus on technique is a big adjustment for me. I can already tell it has been helpful," she said. "I have always been good at finishing speed. So I know when to flip that switch. I was ahead really early and I was nervous about not being able to keep my pace going. I was still able to keep that speed going and use my legs at the end."
Her stroke fits the distance events and has her already thriving.
"Peyton has a unique stroke with a one-beat kick, making her a perfect fit for the 1,000 and 1,650. On top of her technique, Peyton has an incredibly strong mindset that I think is her best asset. If you aren't mentally strong, distance events are nearly impossible to be successful in," Hepp said.
And that will lead to victories.
"My goals are not time goals. I am hoping to drop some time in my 500," Weenum said. "I want to be top eight at conference in the 500 and the mile. I want to be someone my team can rely on. That is my main goal."
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: How Zeeland's Peyton Weenum made Aquinas history in her first collegiate race