Kristy Kowal used District Three as a springboard to the Olympics.

While no one is tagging Emily Cameron with a future Olympian label, the Warwick freshman surpassed Kowal Friday at the District Three Class AAA Swimming Championships.

Cameron eclipsed the 200-yard individual medley record of 2:03.42 held by Kowal since 1996, and swam away from the competition to win the gold in 2:01.67.

"I'm only rested a little and not shaved, so I'm really excited about my time," Cameron said of her best-ever effort by over two seconds. "I just wanted to attack that race to the best of my ability, and that's what I did."

Joining Cameron on the highest level of the medals stand was Manheim Central senior Rob Iosue, who blazed to a personal-best 21.30 to win the boys' 50 freestyle.

"I really didn't think I was going to win," said Iosue, who's in just his second season of high school swimming. "I really peaked here (at districts)."

Now, he'd like to carry that level of performance to the state championship meet, which will be held at Bucknell University March 17-20.

Before states roll around, though, the district meet will continue at 2:30 this afternoon at Cumberland Valley High School, where a total of six records were set Friday evening.

Cameron's though, may have been the most impressive of all of the marks taken down. She broke out fast on the butterfly leg (26.16 seconds), and by the time she completed the backstroke (31.57), the gap between her and the rest of the heat was over two seconds with the breast and fly, two of her stronger strokes, left.

"I'm happy, not surprised," Warwick coach Mark Daum said after Cameron's swim. "She's been in this type of arena (championship meet) before, so she's not the typical freshman that lets the hoopla get to them."

"I'm pretty used to it," Cameron said of the big-meet atmosphere. "I need to focus on my own race, and that's what I did."

Focus was a buzzword for many of the competitors, as L-L League swimmers took home a slew of medals from Friday's opening session. The focus was on a top-three finish, which guarantees a state berth. It was also on dropping times, since the PIAA field is completed by the best times from all over the state.

Earning a silver medal was the Cedar Crest boys' 200 free relay (1:27.26), while bronze medals went to the Manheim Towship girls' 200 medley (1:49.54) and 200 free (1:39.23) relay teams, Crest's Maddie Hoch (1:50.87) and Allen Weik (1:43.60) in the 200 free, Hempfield's Hilary Atkinson (2:09.66) in the 200 IM, Conestoga Valley's Logan Monger (1:57.59) in the 200 IM, Warwick's Dain Bomberger (21.64) in the 50 free, and MT's Kasey Mann (57.16) in the 100 fly.

Fourth-place medals went to the Cedar Crest (1:40.85) boys' medley relay, Crest's Skyler Doss (2:09.91) in the 200 IM and Andrew Miller (21.73) in the 50 free, and Township's Sean Herr (52.99) in the 100 fly.

Still, it was Cameron that drew the most attention. It was, said Daum, a worthy reward for his outstanding freshman.

"Her strong suit is from the neck up. She's just mentally tough," said Daum. "Then, you add in that inherent (physical) ability and the fact that she works hard in every practice. It's all of the basics, which she has covered. You add all that together and you get something special.

"She's something special."

"I do work hard in practice," said Cameron. "I have to do well in meets. Doing well in meets is where you see your work pay off. Plus, if I didn't do well here I won't go to states. I want to go to states and do well there, so I have to keep working hard."

Central coach Sylvia Kroeck sees that same kind of drive in Iosue. Plus, when you add in the fact that he doesn't swim year-round with a club team, it puts his success in a different light.

"He's done an amazing job," said Kroeck. "He just brings his best effort every time."

It's that type of effort that's needed at this point in the season. It's that type of performance that both Cameron and Iosue, as well as the rest of the league swimmers can use as a springboard to bigger and better thngs.