SOFLO Eyes Back-To-Back Titles In Two Weeks At This Weekend’s FGC Senior Championships

By Sharon Robb

PEMBROKE PINES, March 20, 2019—The championship season continues this weekend for South Florida Aquatic Club swimmers.

Host South Florida Aquatic Club, hoping to reclaim its titles it lost to Metro Aquatics (combined and boys) and Gulliver (girls), heads a strong field for the Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships.

Metro Aquatic Club of Miami knocked off the meet host, winning the combined team title with 2,620.50. SOFLO was second with 2,587. MAC won the boys team title with 1,944 ahead of SOFLO with 1,407.

Gulliver Swim Team won the girls team title with 1,729.50. East Coast Aquatic Club was second with 1,612 and SOFLO was third with 1,180.

It was the first time MAC won the combined team title in more than 20 years, in 1997. Several members of the team were off Miami Belen’s fifth place state 3A team.

This year, SOFLO will have 59 swimmers in 350 individual events and 18 relays in 10 relay events compete during the three-day meet that begins Friday at Academic Village Pool.

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 19-year history.

Last weekend SOFLO won the FGC Junior Olympics for the ninth consecutive year and tenth overall.

Among SOFLO top swimmers entered, including several who competed in JOs, are: Gaby Banks, eight events; Dominic Bono, six events including the 1,650-yard freestyle; Olivia Dinehart, six events; Kathleen Golding, nine events; Molly Golding, seven events; Paige Lane, three events; Sebastian Lares, seven events; Lance Lesage, eight events; Rafael Rodriguez, nine events; Mallory Schleicher, nine events; Mary Smutny, eight events; Victoria Torres, three events; and Robert Wilson, eight events.

Four-time Jamaican Olympian Alia Atkinson, 30, is competing only on three relays for SOFLO.

IF YOU GO

What: Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships.

When: Friday-Saturday, prelims 8:30 a.m., finals 5 p.m.; Sunday, prelims 8:30 a.m., finals 4 p.m.

Estimated Timelines: Friday, prelims 8:30-11:57 a.m., finals 5-8 p.m.; Saturday, prelims 8:30-11:36 a.m., finals 5-7:12 p.m.; Sunday, prelims 8:30 a.m.-11:57 p.m., finals 4-7:08 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. For information call the swim office, 954-538-3721.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://www.swim4soflo.com