Excel Swimmers Have Impressive Showing At Knoxville Swim Meet
May 8, 2006……Three Wilson County swimmers took to the water at the University of Tennessee Aquatics Center in Knoxville this past weekend competing against over 480 swimmers from 20 teams in the most competitive swim meet to date in the early Summer Long Course Season. As part of the Excel Aquatics Club swim team, Luke Blackwell, Madison Blackwell and Taylor Wallace participated in the 18th Annual Volunteer Invitational Swim Meet. The format of the meet was Long Course Meters, the same distance swam in International and Olympic Competitions.
Luke Blackwell, a 12 year old Home School student, attained Southeastern Swimming (SES) Long Course Championship Qualifying Times in an astounding 8 events. The maximum number of events that a swimmer can compete in at the SES Championships is 7. “These were Luke’s first SES Qualifying Times in the Long Course format, and to attain 8 cuts is a great achievement. Right now Luke is the top 11-12 Year Old Boy swimmer in the county.” Excel Assistant Coach and Lebanon resident John Barnes noted. “Coach Andreea has done a great job with him working on his pacing and technique.”
Blackwell achieve SES cuts in the 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 400 Free, 800 Free (using 400 Free time), 50 Breaststroke, 50 Back, and the 100 Back.
Madison Blackwell, a 10 year old Home School student, swimming in her first Long Course meet ever, turned in some nice times, finishing in the middle of the pack for her age group. “Madison had some good times in her events, and did great in her first meet in this long of pool. As long as she keeps pushing herself in practices and doing what Coach AJ and Coach Andreea tell her to do, she will keep improving. Madison has been training with a strong group of 10 year old girls this past Winter and Spring and her times are a great indication of what good training partners will help you achieve.” Barnes noted. Both Blackwells travel to Gallatin to train with Excel Aquatics.
Wallace, a 14 year old who is an incoming Freshman for Mount Juliet High School, showed why he will be a force in local High School swimming for the next 4 years. Wallace placed in the Top 16 in all 7 of the events he competed in, and attained new SES Long Course Qualifying times in 5 new events to go along with the two he already had. New SES cuts: 200 IM, 100 Free, 100 Back, 100 Fly, and 50 Free. Wallace trains with Coach Karen Shedron in Brentwood.
For more information about swimming in Wilson County, visit www.SwimWilsonCounty.com. Excel Aquatics is a Silver Medal Level Club within USA Swimming and finished the Short Course Season ranked 94th in the Nation. For more information on Excel Aquatics visit www.ExcelAquatics.org.
