Bradley Gillilan and Madison Blackwell swim to Sectional Meet Qualifying Times

Two Swimmers attain Sectional Meet Qualifying Times

January 21, 2008….Over 1,150 swimmers from Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and Virginia descended upon the UT Aquatics Center in Knoxville this past weekend. It was the largest meet to ever be held at the facility.

Six swimmers from Wilson County competed in the meet for Excel Aquatics, and with the high level of competition that eleven-hundred swimmers bring to the show, some spectacular swims were accomplished.

Swimming from Wilson County were Lebanon’s Bradley Gillilan and Spencer Ford; from Mt. Juliet were Taylor Wallace, Luke Blackwell, Samuel Blackwell, and Madison Blackwell.

Leading the way with Top 8 finishes were Gillilan, Luke Blackwell, and Madison Blackwell.

Gillilan, a sophomore who attends Lebanon High School, picked up his pace on the second half of the 1,000 Yard Freestyle, and finished in a time of ten minutes, seven seconds, and eighty eight-one hundredths of a second (10:07.88). The swim was good enough for 5^th Place in the Senior Boys Category.

Gillilan’s time in the 1,000 was good enough for a Senior Sectional Meet qualifying time cut, and is his second event he has qualified in for the Sectional Meet. Gillilan qualified for the 1,650 Yard Freestyle in October 2007.

Bradley negative split his 1,000 Free,” Excel Assistant Coach John Barnes explained. “He went out in his first 500 in a 5:04.88, and came back on the second 500 in a 5:03.00. Negative splitting an event is where you come back in the back half faster than what you go out, and is a common strategy in the distance events among top swimmers.”

“His pacing was what we teach to our swimmers, and he executed his game plan very well.”

Madison Blackwell placed 7^th in the 11&12 Year Old Girl’s 50 Yard Butterfly, with a time of 0:30.04. The time was an Age-Group Sectional Meet qualifying time cut.

“This is Madison’s first Age-Group Sectional time cut, and it was a great swim. Her butterfly form is arguably the most technically correct in the county amongst any girl at any age, and is something she has been working on with her coach.”

Luke Blackwell, swimming in the 13&14 Year Old Boy’s category, took 6^th place in the 400 Yard Individual Medley (4:33.51), and 7^th Place in the 200 Yard Freestyle (1:57.00).

“Luke also swam in the 200 Yard Breaststroke, turning in a time of 2:37.88, which was a Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championship Meet qualifying time cut.” Barnes noted.

Spencer Ford, a sophomore at Lebanon High School, swam in his first USA Swimming sanctioned meet. “Spencer did great, we identified some areas which we need to work on, and I was very impressed with his competitive spirit during the meet.” Barnes commented. “If Spencer continues to focus on his strokes and pushes himself physically in practices, then we will see some good things out of him in the future.”

Samuel Blackwell placed in the Top 16 in all five of his events in the 8&Under Boys category. “Sam dropped over 2 seconds in his 100 Yard Freestyle, and also swam the 100 Yard Individual Medley for the first time, placing 9^th overall in his age group.”

“He has been working on his techniques in all four of his strokes, and they all came together in that Individual Medley for a great swim. We are so proud of Samuel.”

Excel’s next meet is the Excel Aquatics Mardi Gras Meet on February 2^nd and 3^rd. Gillilan, Ford, Wallace, and Luke Blackwell will be competing in the MTHSSA Region High School Meet this coming Friday the 25^th in Nashville.

For more information about competitive swimming for Wilson County residents, visit www.SwimWilsonCounty.com.

5 Minute Barrier Goes Down to Another Wilson County Resident

5 Minute Barrier in 500 Yard Freestyle is Broken by Luke Blackwell

January 12, 2008….Luke Blackwell, swimming for the Middle Tennessee Home Educators Association at the Excel Aquatics High School Invitational Saturday placed 6th in the 500 Yard Freestyle, and in the process dropped 6.69 seconds to break the magical 5-Minute barrier in the event, with a final time of 4:59.63.

Luke went out in a 56.59 in the first 100, and then averaged 1:00.76 per 100 over the next 400 yards to touch the wall in just under five minutes. Luke joins Lebanon High School swimmer, and Excel Aquatics training partner, Bradley Gillilan as the only current Wilson County residents to swim under five minutes in the 500 Yard Freestyle. Luke also placed in the 100 Yard Backstroke, turning a 1:01.68, good enough for 12th place. Those placements contributed 18 points to MTHEA’s total, making Luke the high scorer for MTHEA Boy’s team.

Another training partner, Alek Nochowicz who swims for Pope John Paul II HS and lives in Mt Juliet, turned in a 5:28.60 in the 500 Yard Free, good enough for 11th Place in the meet. The time by Nochowicz represents an 18 second drop in time for the same meet last year. Nochowicz also placed 13th in the 200 Yard Individual Medley with a time of 2:19.39. Nochowicz scored 10 points for the Pope John Paul II Boy’s team, the most of any JPII Boys.

Other Excel/Wilson County residents who placed in the meet were MJHS’s Taylor Wallace and Kelsey Copeland.

Wallace placed 7th in the 100 Yard Breaststroke, and 12th in the 200 Yard Individual Medley. In the process Wallace scored 17 points for the MJHS Boy’s team, again the leading scorer on the team.

Copeland placed 9th in the 50 Yard Freestyle, scoring 9 points for the MJHS Girl’s team.

Swimming in the separate Excel Aquatics Middle School Invitational Meet was MTHEA/Mt Juliet’s Madison Blackwell. Madison placed 6th in the 100 Yard Backstroke, and 8th in the 100 Yard Butterfly.

Excel Assistant Coach John Barnes noted that “these performances by our Wilson County neighbors today in leading their respective schools during the meet, are a reflection of their hard work and commitment to improving as swimmers in terms of technique and conditioning. Excel Aquatics is currently the gold standard for training swimmers from Wilson County, and these children are definitive proof of that.”