GPAC championship teams cap off season in Huntsville; team takes 8^th at SES

               GPAC swimmers traveled to Huntsville, AL to race in their final meets of the 2024 long course season at the Southeastern Swimming Summer Championships from July 19-21, and at Futures Championships just days later from July 24-27.     

Twenty nine swimmers represented GPAC at the Southeastern Swimming (SES) Summer championships the first weekend of competition, and a great team effort produced an 8^th place finish for the GPAC; keeping the streak of “Top Team on the Gulf Coast” alive for another season.

Logan Robinson, 18, in his last championship meet wearing the green and blue, defended his SES titles in five of his individual events (100/200 fly, 200/400 IM and 200 free) and was just edged out for the title in the 50m freestyle placing second. Logan won Most Outstanding swimmer for his age group for the second consecutive time, winning it back in February at the Winter Championships and he scored 117 points for the team.

Out of the 29 swimmers on the championship team, only nine were females, but GPAC had big contributions from the girls on the team. Addison Adams, 10, led the girls in points, scoring in all six of her individual events—including a silver medal in the 100m fly—and produced 87 points for GPAC. Addy also posted three new ‘AAA’ times.

Just behind her was Taylor Clements, 16, who won silver in her 50m breaststroke, made the championship finals in three other events and scored 68 points in all. Taylor also scored a new ‘AAAA’ time in her 100m breaststroke, and posted an automatic qualifying time for Futures championships in the 50m free.

Marcela Dos Santos, 12, made the championship finals in five out of her six individual events and posted 65 points to the team total. Marcela swam life-best times in all six of her events, and posted a new ‘AAA’ time in the 100m fly.

The next biggest scorer for GPAC was Max Little, 17, who made the championship final in five of his six events and amassed 76 points for the team. Max won silver in the 200m breaststroke and bronze in the 200m IM.

Justin Washburn, 12, had the meet of his summer by making the championship final in three of his events and the consolation finals in three more. Justin swam all new life-best times and produced 65 points for the team. Justin also swam five new ‘AA’ times and one new ‘AAA’ time.

Ian Malone, 16, dropped 55.5 points and picked up two new Winter Junior National cuts in his 200m and 100m freestyle events. Ian and Logan swept the 200m free, going 1-2 in the event. Ian also set a new ‘AAAA’ time in the 50m free.

GPAC had great contributions from the distance corps as well, with Jack Hebert, 18, rounding out his GPAC career with a 4^th place finish in the 1500m free. Jack also was a championship finalist in the 400m IM. Drew Henry, 17, also nabbed a couple points with his life-best swim in the mile. Although just out of scoring contention, Tyler Lewis, 17 and Abi Robinson, 16, each posted life-best times in their mile race.

Braedan Jacobs, 18, and Anderson Saksa, 12, each scored a top-8 finish in the 400m freestyle, and both boys swam personal best times in the event. Bredan scored 5^th place and Anderson scored 8^th place. Anderson also swam in three other consolation finals (200 free, 100 fly, 200 IM).

Sara Lypko, who graduated in 2023 and currently swims for UWF, put on her GPAC cap again this summer to represent her team at the meet. Sara contributed a championship final placing in the 400 IM and the 1500m freestyle, as well as swam on the team’s relays to score points.

Lane Robinson, 12, really stepped up on the last day of the competiton with two new personal best times and two championship finals swims in the 100 m free (6^th) and 50m fly (7^th). Lane scored 45 points on his five finals appearances.

With the meet format allowing each age group to return the top-16 swimmers for finals, GPAC capitalized on this with many making second swims at the finals. Congratulations to all the consolation finalists: Amelia Ilnitsiky, 14, Addison Lee, 17, Nikky Lypko, 12, Cain Scoggins, 17, and Nathan Yoon, 14.

The Futures Championships were held in Huntsville just three days after the conclusion of the Southeastern champs meet, and GPAC had three swimmers stay over to compete there. All three swimmers—Taylor Clements, Max Little and Ian Malone each swam new personal bests in at least one event during the week. Taylor dropped a new ‘AAA’ time in her 100 backstroke and Ian swam a new personal best in the 200 IM.

Max Little came up big in his 200m breaststroke, punching his ticket to join Ian in December in Greensboro, NC at the Winter Junior National championship. This was Max’s first qualifying swim for the Junior National championship.

Congratulations to these swimmers who posted new top-tier motivational times at the championship meets:

A: Noah Jacobs, Tyler Lewis, Anderson Saksa

AA: Addison Adams, Marcela Dos Santos, Landon Garcia, Jack Hebert, Caroline Smith, Justin Washburn, Nathan Yoon

AAA: Marcela Dos Santos, Justin Washburn

AAAA: Taylor Clements, Ian Malone