Wallace sets Team Record at Championships

Taylor Wallace Sets Team Record at Southeastern Championships

March 20, 2005…… 58 teams from the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, and Tennessee converged on Nashville this past weekend for the annual Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championships, bringing 885 athletes to race to see who the best of the best is. While taking home a Silver Medal in the 11&12 Year Old Boy’s 50 Yard Breaststroke, Taylor Wallace, a 7^th Grade Mount Juliet Middle School student/athlete, broke a 7 year old Excel Aquatics team record with a time of 0:31.97. Wallace was joined at the meet by fellow Excel teammates Bradley Gillilan and Stephen Claycomb.

All three Wilson County swimmers were able to place in the Top 16 in at least one of their events. Wallace, who trains under the guidance of 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist Ashley Whitney, in addition to his Silver Medal performance, took home a Bronze in the 100 Yard Breaststroke, 9^th in the 100 Yard Individual Medley, 12^th in the 50 Yard Butterfly, 13^th in the 50 Yard Freestyle, and 16^th in the 100 Yard Freestyle. Gillilan, a West Wilson Middle School 7^th Grader, who trains for former Romanian National Swim Champion Andreea Mitrofan, placed 5^th in the 11&12 Year Old Boy’s 1000 Yard Freestyle, 10^th in the 500 Yard Freestyle, and 12^th in the 200 Yard Freestyle. Claycomb, a Lebanon resident and sophomore at Pope John Paul II High School, placed 15^th in the 15&16 Year Old Boy’s 100 Yard Backstroke.

“As coaches we’re proud of all of these kids, all of them have worked hard this season to get to this Championship meet.” Coach Barnes stated. “All of our kids from Lebanon and Mount Juliet have a lot of heart and stepped up when asked to.”

Excel Aquatics will be offering a Spring Tune Up for swimmers from the local Summer League swim teams located in Wilson County. Visit www.ExcelAquatics.org for more information or contact your local summer swim club. Excel Aquatics and Sumner Regional Health Systems will be hosting the annual Tennessee School for the Blind Swim Meet on April 9^th at the Gallatin Civic Center.