By Sharon Robb
CORAL SPRINGS, March 11, 2023—South Florida Aquatic Club had another good day at the Florida Gold Coast Age Group Championships Friday at Coral Springs Aquatic Complex.
After two days of competition, South Florida Aquatic Club leads the combined and boys team standings. SOFLO girls are second.
Jianna Amores, 12, won the 11-12 200-yard individual medley in 2:19.47, sweeping the IM events. She was the fastest qualifier in morning prelims in a best time 2:20.46, dropping 5.52 and bettered that in 2:19.47, for a total time drop of 6.51. She also won the 400 IM on opening day in a best time 4:58.05, dropping 10.94. She was also third in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:03.45.
Juan Vallmitjana, 14, competing in his final age group championship, won the 13-14 200 IM in a best time 1:58.19, dropping 6.74. He was the second fastest qualifier in 2:00.47, dropping 4.46 and improved that best time dipping under 2 minutes in the final. It was his second win, he also won the 1,650 freestyle.
Other top three SOFLO finishers were:
Laila Harran, 13, second in the 50-yard freestyle in 23.96.
SOFLO 11-12 girls 400-yard freestyle was second in 3:52.63 with Jianna Amores, Jemma Baldwin, Gianna Martin and Ellie Jackson.
SOFLO 13-14 girls 400-yard freestyle relay was second in 3:34.21 with Carley Kaplan, Jenesys Amores, Elise Dinehart and Laila Harran.
Ethan Phan, 10, second in the 200 IM in 2:41.11.
SOFLO 11-12 boys 400-yard freestyle relay was third in 3:23.49 with Eric Ferrer, Rainier Leyva Riestra, Noah Mejias and Guillermo Mantilla.
The top six finishers in each event qualify for the FGC All-Star team for the March 24-26 All-Star Meet in Fort Pierce.
SOFLO has 53 swimmers competing in 273 individual events and 20 relays. The meet has attracted 530 swimmers from throughout the Florida Gold Coast.
In addition to favorites SOFLO, St. Andrew’s and Metro Aquatics, among other FGC clubs competing are Jupiter Dragons, Eagle Aquatics, Midtown Weston Aquatics, Pompano Piranhas, Lake Lytal Lightning, Swim Fort Lauderdale, Pine Crest, North Palm Beach, FAST, Sunrise Swimming, Wahoos of Wellington, SwimFast, Azura, Heritage Aquatics and host Coral Springs Swim Club.
FRIDAY RESULTS
GIRLS TEAM TOTALS: 1. St. Andrew’s 258, 2. South Florida Aquatic Club 238, 3. North Palm Beach 160, 4. Wellington 114, 5. Sunrise Swimming, Eagle Aquatics 112.
BOYS TEAM TOTALS: 1. South Florida Aquatic Club 207, 2. Midtown Weston 168, 3. St. Andrew’s 141, 4. tie, Metro Aquatics, Coral Springs 120.
GIRLS
100-yard backstroke:
10-and-under, 1. Julieta Stolk, SAS 1:06.38; SOFLO: 9. Catalina Akpabio 1:20.39.
11-12, 1. Penelope Lopez-Casula, EA 1:00.29; SOFLO: 3. Jianna Amores 1:03.45, 5. Ellie Jackson 1:04.79, 6. Jemma Baldwin 1:05.38, 15. Sofia Rodriguez 1:09.34.
200-yard backstroke:
13-14, 1. Gioia Balzano, EA 2:02.14; SOFLO: 6. Laila Harran 2:06.43, 7. Jenesys Amores 2:08.69, 11. Saree Young 2:15.38.
100-yard breaststroke:
10-and-under, 1. Emma Ellis, SUN 1:19.76; SOFLO: 7. Catalina Akpabio 1:32.00.
11-12, 1. Lydia Wagner, LLL 1:10.23; SOFLO: 7. Gianna Martin 1:15.77, 9. Christie Ann Lumsden 1:17.70, 12. Sophie Szutkowski 1:17.87.
13-14, 1. Tessa Broedell, NPB 1:05.12; SOFLO: 7. Elise Dinehart 1:09.37.
50-yard freestyle:
10-and-under, 1. Wendy La Pietra, SAS 26.54.
11-12, 1. Penelope Lopez-Casula, EA 23.96
13-14, 1. Gioia Balzano, EA 23.37; SOFLO: 2. Laila Harran 23.96, 5. Carley Kaplan 24.39.
200-yard individual medley:
10-and-under, 1. Wendy LaPietra, SAS 2:24.20.
11-12, 1. Jianna Amores, SOFLO 2:19.47; SOFLO: 4. Ellie Jackson 2:24.40, 6. Jemma Baldwin 2:24.87.
13-14, 1. Addison Kent, JD 2:06.19; SOFLO: 8. Laila Harran 2:13.84, 9. Carley Kaplan 2:14.59, 10. Elise Dinehart 2:16.69, 15. Lydia Smutny 2:17.03.
200-yard freestyle relay:
10-and-under, 1. Sunrise 2:03.65, 2. St. Andrew’s 2:06.56, 3. Swim Fort Lauderdale 2:08.13, 5. SOFLO A 2:10.32, 9. SOFLO B 2:18.58.
400-yard freestyle relay:
11-12, 1. St. Andrew’s 3:49.26, 2. SOFLO A 3:52.63, 3. North Palm Beach 3:58.37, 13. SOFLO B 4:12.65.
13-14, 1. Jupiter 3:34.18, 2. SOFLO A 3:34.21, 3. Wellington 3:38.93, 10. SOFLO B 3:47.89.
BOYS
100-yard backstroke:
10-and-under, 1. Kaan Trentadue, PB 1:09.51; SOFLO: 8. Gabriel Ferrer 1:19.21.
11-12, 1. Alexander Diaz, MWA 1:00.10; SOFLO: 11. Guillermo Mantilla 1:04.63
200-yard backstroke:
13-14, 1. Hamilton Gates, FAST 1:54.45; SOFLO: 8. Maximiliano Remmele 2:03.60, 10. Connor Jimenez 2:07.50, 11. Nicolai Ross 2:04.94.
100-yard breaststroke:
10-and-under, 1. Patrick Ilonta, SFTL 1:23.74; SOFLO: 4. Ethan Phan 1:25.66, 9. Luis Escobar 1:30.22, 12. Sean Tee 1:33.17.
11-12, 1. Alexander Diaz, MWA 1:07.51; SOFLO: 4. Noah Mejias 1:14.91, 11. Eric Ferrer 1:18.70, 15. Alexander Ross 1:20.01.
13-14, 1. Juan Leon, TSA 58.28; SOFLO: 10. Mason Jimenez 1:05.94, 14. Connor Jimenez 1:06.73.
50-yard freestyle:
10-and-under, 1. Kaan Trentadue, PB 28.14.
11-12, 1. Trace Colton, NPB 23.67; SOFLO: 5. Guillermo Mantilla 25.66.
13-14, 1. Julian Granison, WOW 21.71; SOFLO: 6. Juan Vallmitjana 22.80, 14. Nicolai Ross 23.12.
200-yard individual medley:
10-and-under, 1. Joaquin Gomez-Liendo, SAS 2:32.22; SOFLO: 2. Ethan Phan 2:41.11, 8. Gabriel Ferrer 2:45.90, 13. Sean Tee 2:53.91, 15. Luis Escobar 2:56.20.
11-12, 1. Trace Colton, NPB 2:09.25; SOFLO: 7. Guillermo Mantilla 2:20.35, 13. Noah Mejias 2:23.69, 14. Eric Ferrer 2:25.85.
13-14, 1. Juan Vallmitjana, SOFLO 1:58.19; SOFLO: 13. Nicolai Ross 2:04.27.
200-yard freestyle relay:
10-and-under, 1. North Palm Beach 1:59.93, 2. Jupiter Dragons 2:02.61, 3. Coral Springs Swim Club 2:03.03, 5. SOFLO A 2:04.79, 11. SOFLO B 2:16.00.
400-yard freestyle relay:
11-12, 1. Midtown Weston 3:46.70, 2. North Palm Beach 3:48.63, 3. SOFLO A 3:53.74.
13-14, 1. Jupiter 3:20.37, 2. FAST 3:23.17, 3. SOFLO A 3:23.49.
IF YOU GO
What: Florida Gold Coast Age Group Championships
When: Saturday-Sunday
Where: Michael Lohberg Pool of Champions, Coral Springs Aquatic Complex, 12441 Royal Palm Blvd.
Timelines: Saturday, Girls & Boys prelims, 8:30-11:23 a.m. and finals, 5:30-8:29 p.m.; Sunday, Girls & Boys prelims, 8:30 a.m.-11:59 a.m. and finals 5:30-7:04 p.m.
Admission: $5 per person, cash only. Heat sheets are free and can be found at http://www.swimcssc.com or Meet Mobile. A concession stand will be available.
Note: Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday morning so move your clocks ahead one hour Saturday night before you go to bed or you’re going to miss your first morning prelim race!
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