Victory at SES!

Gillilan Wins Southeastern 800 Meter Freestyle

July 23, 2009…. The Southeastern Swimming Long Course Championship started Thursday at the Centennial Sportsplex in Nashville. Southeastern Swimming consists of club swimmers from all of Tennessee and Alabama, and the Panhandle region of Florida.

Bradley Gillilan, a senior at LHS, won the Senior Men’s 800 Meter Freestyle in convincing fashion in a time of eight minutes, twenty-nine seconds and sixty-six hundredths of a second (8:29.66). He finished ahead of the second place finisher by nearly eight seconds.

The time was a 3.44 seconds from Gillilan’s best time in the event achieved last week at the Senior Sectional meet at UT-Knoxville, and qualified in the event for the USA-Swimming Short Course Senior National Championships in December.

This was Gillilan’s second Short Course Senior National cut, having achieved a cut in the 1,500 Meter Freestyle just four days earlier at Senior Sectionals.

“It’s hard to swim in back-to-back championship level meets just four days apart,” Excel Coach and Lebanon resident John Barnes noted. “Bradley had such a great meet last week with some emotional swims, and he really stepped it up this in the 800 Meters tonight.”

“His goal coming in the meet was to win the event and score points for Excel Aquatics, and he accomplished both on the first night. Nabbing a Senior National qualifying time in the process was just gravy on the mash potatoes.”

Gillilan continues to swim in six more events, two each day through Sunday. To follow results of the top distance swimmer in Wilson County swimming history, visit www.ExcelAquatics.org/age_group and click on “Real Time Results”.

Sectional Meet Wrap Up

Gillilan Qualifies for Senior National Swim Meet

July 19, 2009…. Lebanon High School’s Bradley Gillilan saved his best swim for last at the Summer Senior Sectional Championship Meet this past weekend at the University of Tennessee.

On Sunday, in the 1,500 Meter Freestyle, Gillilan moved up from being seeded 11^th to finish 4^th overall, in a time of 16:15.94, a drop of over 17 seconds.

The personal best time in the “Mile” as the 1500 is referred by, was a Short Course Senior National Qualifying Time Standard for Gillilan, the first Wilson County resident to qualify for Senior Nationals since former Mt Juliet resident Andrew Davidson did so. Davidson attended and swam for the University of Texas.

The 2009 Short Course Senior National Championships will be held in early December in Federal Way, Washington.

“The majority of swimmers who Bradley finished amongst in the 1500 Free at this meet were college swimmers. He was seeded next to a UNC swimmer, and left him after about 400 meters,” Coach John Barnes explained. “Bradley proceeded to chase the eventual event winner, a boy from the University of Louisville; and a boy from the University of Cincinnati.”

Gillilan finished third in his heat and fourth overall in the event.

“The time Bradley posted in the 1500 was also an Excel Aquatics team record at any age level. The record he beat was set by Shaun Phillips in 2001, Phillips eventually went on to swim at Stanford University, 2003-2007.”

On Saturday, Gillilan participated in the 400 Meter Freestyle. He entered the meet with an entry time of 4:18.56 and seeded 42^nd. During the Prelims swims, he turned a time of 4:12.54, good enough for 23^rd place going into the Finals. In the Finals that evening, he won the “C” Finals with a time of 4:07.79, and finished 17^th overall in the event.

“Bradley is set up great going into the Southeastern Swimming (SES) Long Course Championships this coming weekend. The SES Meet is not as prestigious as the Sectional meet; however Bradley will step up and work to score points for his team.”

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

Gillilan 4th at Sectional Meet

Gillilan Fourth at Senior Sectional Swim Meet

July 16, 2009…. Lebanon High School’s Bradley Gillilan placed 4^th in the 800 Meter Freestyle at the Speedo Senior Sectional Swimming Championships at the University of Tennessee on Thursday. The Senior Sectional meet requires qualifying times to participate, and is a stepping stone in the progression pathway of swimming. Swimmers range from high school age swimmers to those in college.

Gillilan, a rising senior at LHS, and a member of Excel Aquatics, entered the meet seeded 12^th with an entry time of 8:43.42. After the race was over, Gillilan had moved up 8 spots to finish 4^th, with a final time of 8:33.59. The time is the fastest time posted by a High School aged swimmer in Middle Tennessee this summer.

Gillilan already had a Short Course Junior National Meet qualifying time in the event, and this new time today qualified him for the Long Course Junior National Meet to be held in Seattle in August. Junior National level meets are limited to those who are 18 years old and younger, and are just one level below US Nationals.

“Just a week ago a NCAA Division I coach visited Excel’s training site in Gallatin to watch Bradley train and to speak with Bradley about the university,” Excel Coach John Barnes commented. “The coach told Bradley that he would be watching the results of this meet this weekend, and it looks like Bradley has stepped up.”

Gillilan continues the meet on Saturday, competing in the 400 Meter Freestyle; and then concludes the meet with the 1,500 Meter Freestyle on Sunday.

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

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.