By Sharon Robb
PEMBROKE PINES, March 21, 2018—Defending champion and host South Florida Aquatic Club heads a strong field for this weekend’s Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships.
SOFLO will have 43 swimmers in 262 individual events and 18 relays in 10 relay events compete during the three-day meet that begins Friday at Academic Village Swimming Pool.
SOFLO is defending champions in the combined and boys team titles. Pine Crest Swimming is defending girls champion.
Last weekend SOFLO won the FGC Junior Olympics for the eighth consecutive year and ninth overall. SOFLO is now trying to make a little more history by winning both seniors and JO titles in the same short course season for the sixth time in the team’s 18-year history.
With a strong field including Gulliver Swim Club, East Coast Aquatic Club, Azura Florida Aquatic, Metro Aquatics and Pine Crest Swimming, SOFLO will have their work cut out for them.
Among SOFLO top seeds are:
Kathleen Golding, 17, 100-yard freestyle, 49.43; 100-yard individual medley, 56.58; 400-yard individual medley, 4:14.46; 50-yard butterfly, 24.98; 50-yard freestyle, 22.98; and 200-yard individual medley, 1:59.72.
Rafael Rodriguez, 16, 200-yard butterfly, 1:51.69; 100-yard individual medley, 55.17; 500-yard freestyle, 4:37.27; and 400-yard individual medley, 4:02.78.
At 30, two-time Colombian Olympian Carolina Colorado of Montverde Academy (MVAC) is the oldest swimmer in the meet and top seed in the 50- and 200-yard backstroke and second seed in the 100-yard backstroke.
Among other top seeds are Miguel Cancel, swimming unattached, Elvis Kotikovski, Alexandra Meszaros and Andrea Santander of Pine Crest Swimming, Philippe Marcoux of Swim Fort Lauderdale, Chade Nersicio of East Coast Aquatic Club and Mary Smutny of AquaKids Sharks.
IF YOU GO
What: Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships.
When: Friday-Sunday, prelims 8:30 a.m., finals 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday.
Estimated Timelines: Friday, prelims 8:30-11:42 a.m., finals 5-8:05 p.m.; Saturday, prelims 8:30-11:35 a.m., finals 5-7:20 p.m.; Sunday, prelims 8:30 a.m.-12:05 p.m., finals 4-7:04 p.m.
Where: Academic Village Swimming Pool, 17191 Sheridan St., Pembroke Pines.
Of note: Admission is $5 per session. Heat sheets are free and will be available online at soflomeets.info/seniorchamps and on Meet Mobile. Timed finals for the 500-yard freestyle are Friday and 400-yard individual medley on Saturday. For information call the swim office, 954-538-3721.
Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://www.swim4soflo.com
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