By Sharon Robb
March 1, 2018—-The championship season begins this weekend with the Florida Gold Coast Area 3 Short Course Developmental Championships at Academic Village Pool.
Action begins in the 27-team meet on Friday at 5:30 p.m. with swimmers warm-up at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, prelims are 8:30 a.m. with 7 a.m. warm-up and 5 p.m. finals with 4 p.m. warm-up.
Host South Florida Aquatic Club will have 100 (52 boys and 48 girls) swimmers competing in 544 individual events and 28 teams in 15 relays.
For some swimmers it will be a season-ending meet, a shave-and-taper opportunity to go best times.
For many swimmers, it will be their biggest chance to date to get to the next level. Several swimmers will try for either their first-ever 14-and-Under JO time or first-ever Senior Championship times along with swimmers trying to qualify for more events for that next level meet since they may only have one or two events that they are currently qualified in.
SOFLO’s top seeds are:
Andrea Toledano, 16, 200-yard individual medley, 2:25.98′ 50-yard backstroke 31.61.
Emma Twombly, 13, 500-yard freestyle, 5:40.67.
Moises Rodriguez, 13, 400-yard individual medley, 4:44.71.
Brennan Binder, 14, 100-yard backstroke 1:02.18.
Zackary Harris, 13, 50-yard butterfly, 28.31; 50-yard backstroke, 29.64.
Ryan Alfonso, 15, 50-yard butterfly, 28.31.
Joseph Natino, 8, 100-yard breaststroke, 1:34.91.
Samuel Bullen, 13, 100-yard breaststroke, 1:10.14; 200-yard breaststroke, 2:32.94.
Diego Nazario-Vazquez, 12, 50-yard freestyle, 27.99.
Sophia Bedoya, 15, 50-yard freestyle, 28.02.
Kaitlyn Barrios, 12, 100-yard individual medley, 1:11.44; 100-yard freestyle, 1:02.16.
Christopher Hau, 13, 100-yard individual medley 1:03.44.
Sofia Osorio, 13, 100-yard individual medley, 1:09.42; 50-yard backstroke, 31.71.
Juancamilo Rivero, 15, 200-yard butterfly, 2:13.46.
Sarah Vasquez, 10, 100-yard freestyle, 1:11.02.
Luca Hincapie, 11, 100-yard butterfly, 1:13.67.
Logan Gonzalez, 13, 50-yard breaststroke, 32.85.
Johnny Bastos, 15, 50-yard breaststroke, 32.90.
Among top teams competing in addition to host SOFLO are AquaKids Sharks, Hurricane Swimming, City of Miami Parks, Florida Keys, Hialeah and Metro Aquatics.
IF YOU GO
What: Florida Gold Coast Area 3 Short Course Championships.
When: Friday-Sunday
Schedule: Friday, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, prelims 8:30 a.m., finals 5 p.m.; Sunday, prelims 8:30 a.m., finals 5 p.m.
Where: Academic Village Pool, 17191 Sheridan Street, Pembroke Pines.
Of Note: Admission is $5 per session. Heat sheets are free and available for free on Meet Mobile or at soflomeets.info/Area 3. Host SOFLO is one of 27 teams in the field.
Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
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