Santa’s BEST Meet Recap

               Nearly 40 GPAC swimmers rounded out the 2023 competitive year by heading over to Biloxi to race in the Santa’s BEST swim meet December 2-3. Despite some less-than-favorable weather that delayed the meet on Saturday, the team accumulated 38% life-best times over the weekend, and 32 swimmers swam at least one personal best.

               Anatollie Badila, 10, won high-point for his age group. Anatole swam four new personal best times and won five of his individual events. He also set a new ‘A’ time in the 50-yd backstroke.

               GPAC had three other swimmers win individual events at the meet. Addison Adams, 9, won two events, and brothers Braedan and Noah Jacobs swam a set of five wins on the weekend. Braedan, 17, won the 100 and 200-yd freestyles and the 100-yd fly. Noah won both 100 and 200 breaststroke races for his age group.

               Congratulations to Gray Fountain, 11, Tristan Varrichio, 13, and Bailey Yoon, 9, who swam best times in all their individual events over the weekend.

               These swimmers posted new motivational times at the meet:

B:           Evan Beattie, Sophie Bridges, Bill Caves, Scarlett Harshman, Brandon Miller, Ben Stewart, Tristan Varrachio

BB:         Addison Adams, Nathan Yoon

A:           Anatollie Badila

               The team now regroups over the month of December to train and prepare for the winter meet season and the upcoming championships.