Sunday, February 22, 2009

3 Qualify for SES Championships

Trio Post Qualifying Times for Southeastern Swimming Championship Meet

February 22, 2009….Three Excel Aquatics swimmers from Sumner County qualified over the weekend for the upcoming Southeastern Swimming (SES) Short Course Championship Meet.

The SES District Meet was held Saturday and Sunday in Brentwood. Districts is considered a last chance meet for qualifying for the Short Course Championship Meet.

Allie Riley of Hendersonville swam to a qualifying time in the 11&12 Year Old Girl’s 100 Yard Breaststroke, turning a time of one minute, twenty seconds and twenty-nine one-hundredths of a second (1:20.29). This was Riley’s second SES qualifying time, having already achieved a cut in the 50 Yard Breaststroke, despite having just ageing up to the older category.

Abbie Wood, a sophomore at Pope John Paul II HS, and a Hendersonville resident, took to the water in the Senior Girl’s 1,650 Yard Freestyle, commonly referred to as “the mile”. In only her second time of swimming in the event, Wood turned a time of 19:48.61, nearly 10 seconds under the qualifying time for 15&16 Year Old Girls.

“Abbie did a phenomenal time,” Excel Coach John Barnes noted. “She had consistent splits, going 5:54, 6:07, and 6:03 in the first three 500’s in the event. She is a hard worker in practice, and it shows up in the meets.”

This qualifying time by Abbie was her first ever SES Short Course Qualifying time in any event.

Bryce Anderson, also known as “The Intimidator”, is a freshman at Station Camp High School and is a resident of Gallatin. Anderson achieved a qualifying time standard in the Senior Boy’s 1,650 Yard Freestyle and the 15&16 Boy’s 1,000 Yard Freestyle.

Anderson added these events to his total, which already included a SES qualifying time in the 500 Yard Freestyle at last week’s High School State Championships.

“Bryce has been very impressive this year”, Coach Barnes added. “He is now the fourth boy in his training group to achieve a SES time standard in the 1,650.”

For more information on competitive swimming choices in Sumner County, visit www.ExcelAquatics.com, or visit the Gallatin Civic Center and speak with a coach.