Wilson County Swimmers Travel to Ft Lauderdale

Swimmers Compete in International Meet in Ft Lauderdale

July 1, 2009…. Two Wilson County swimmers traveled to Ft Lauderdale for the International Age Group International Swim Meet, June 25-29. Bradley Gillilan, a rising senior at Lebanon High School and Alek Nochowicz, a Mt Juliet resident and rising senior at Pope John Paul II High School represented Excel Aquatics and Wilson County in the meet.

Gillilan placed in the 15&16 Boy’s Top 10 in 1,500 Meter Freestyle (5^th Place); 200 Meter Breaststroke (6^th Place); 400 Meter Freestyle (6^th Place); 200 Meter Individual Medley (8^th Place); and the 100 Meter Breaststroke (7^th Place).

He turned Personal Best Times in the 200 Meter Breaststroke with a 6 second drop; in the 200 Meter Individual Medley with a 3.16 second drop; 100 Meter Breaststroke with a 1.43 second drop; 200 Meter Backstroke with a 1.84 second drop; and the 200 Fly with a 1.35 second drop.

Nochowicz swam in 9 events, and had personal best times in 8 of the events. Best times came in the 1,500 Meter Freestyle with a 7.58 second drop 200 Meter Freestyle with a 2.75 second drop; 100 Meter Backstroke with a 1.54 second drop; 200 Meter Breaststroke with a 3.74 second drop; 200 Meter Individual Medley with a 1.63 second drop; 100 Meter Breaststroke with a 2.23 second drop; 400 Meter Freestyle with a 7.46 second drop; and 100 Meter Freestyle with a 1.54 second drop.

“Both boys did very well.” Coach John Barnes noted. “This was a large meet with 60 teams, of which 10 teams were from foreign nations, as far away as South Africa. There was just shy of 900 swimmers in the meet, and it was a fast, competitive meet. The boys traveled to the meet as part of our team, and despite the numerous distractions that a city like Ft Lauderdale presents to teenage boys; they stepped up, remembered why they were there, and performed well.

The next meet for Excel Aquatics is the Senior Sectional Championships in Knoxville TN, July 16-19; followed the next week by the Southeastern Swimming Championships in Nashville.

For more information on competitive swimming, visit www.ExcelAquatics.com/age_group.