2021 FL Swimming vs. FGC All-Star Meet
- March 26 – March 28, 2021
- Anne Wilder Aquatic Complex
- Fort Pierce, FL
- Results
There are two LSCs that represent the majority of USA Swimming members in the state of Florida: The Florida Gold Coast Swimming LSC, which includes most of the areas aroudn Miami in south Florida, and the Florida Swimming LSC, which includes most of the rest of the state, save for a few counties in the pandhandle near the border with Alabama.
This weekend, those two LSCs put together ‘all star’ teams of swimmers that matched up in a dual meet for 14 & unders in a bragging rights battle for Sunshine State supremacy. Athletes competed in 10 & under, 11-12, and 13-14 age groups.
At the end of the 3 day meet, the Florida Swimming Team secured wins on both the girl’s and boy’s side, establishing a combined victory over Florida Gold Coast of 847 to 581.
Boys Team Scores
- Florida Swimming Team – 353 Points
- Florida Gold Coast Swimming – 313 Points
Girls Team Scores
- Florida Swimming Team – 440 Points
- Florida Gold Coast Swimming – 226 Points
Combined Team Scores
- Florida Swimming Team – 847 Points
- Florida Gold Coast Swimming – 581 Points
Boys Meet
12-year-old Owen Ekk, representing the Florida Swimming Team won individual gold in the 100 free, 200 free, 1000 free, 100 breast, 100 back, and 200 IM. Ekk’s 6 wins over the course of the meet allowed him to move up in the 11-12 age group national rankings for this season. Among those were 3 swims that mark the fastest swim this season in the age category with his 1:46.10 200 freestyle, 9:50.82 1000 freestyle, and 55.22 100 backstroke.
That time in the 200 free broke an LSC Open Record as the fastest time ever swum by an 11-12 boy in Florida LSC territory. The previous mark was a 1:46.94 done by Vinny Marciano in 2014. Marciano was from New Jersey, but was competing at the NASA Showcase Classic in Florida at the time.
It also breaks the overall LSC Record of 1:47.17 set in 2011 by Matthew Hirschberger.
Owen Ekk swims by National Rankings:
- 1st: 200 Freestyle – 1:46.10
- 1st: 1000 Freestyle – 9:50.82
- 1st: 100 Backstroke – 55.22
- 2nd: 100 Freestyle – 48.92
- 3rd: 200 IM – 2:03.02
- 8th: 100 Breast – 1:04.08
Also in the 11-12 age category for Florida Swimming, Bogdan Zverev picked up 4 gold medals and 2 silvers. Zverev won the 50 freestyle in a 23.83, the 50 fly in a 25.73, the 50 back in a 27.01, and the 500 free in a 4:56.43. He also was silver to Ekk in the 100 and 200 freestyles. Zverev’s 500 free was quick enough to earn himself 5th place nationally this season among 11-12 boys.
In the 10 & under age group, 9-year-old Sawyer Hansen rose to #3 in the country this season with his 5:33.16 victory in the 500 freestyle. He also won the 50 backstroke with a 30.95 for 8th nationally among 10 & unders and the 100 backstroke with a 1:06.45 for 12th in the nation. 10-year-old Trace Colton also had a successful meet by winning the 50 free (26.59), 100 free (57.52), and 200 IM (2:26.14).
In the 13-14 age group, Florida Gold Coast Swimming’s Giulian Martin won the most individual wins by swimming the fastest 200 free (1:46.04), 100 breast (58.29), and 200 breast (2:04.76). That 200 breast for Martin was the 5th fastest time in the event nationwide among 13-14-year-olds for 2020-2021.
Also in the 13-14 age group, Ryan Walker, Aidan Clements, and Andy Kravchenko all picked up double golds for Florida Swimming. Walker won the 100 fly (52.91) and 200 fly (1:57.47), Clements the 100 back (53.06) and 500 freestyle (4:43.42), while Kravchenko took the sprint titles as he won the 50 (20.85) and 100 (47.72) freestyles. Notably, that 50 free swim for Kravchenko was the 5th fastest swim in the age group this season.
Girls Meet
In the 10&under age category on the girls’ side, both Cali Jerabek for Florida Gold Coast Swimming and Mia Pistanek for the Florida Swimming Team. Jerabek won 50 breast gold with a 36.15, out-touching Shelby Evans’ 36.67, along with the 100 free (1:00.86), 100 IM (1:11.76), and the 200 freestyle (2:14.08).
Pistanek on the other hand won the 200 IM with a 2:36.62, 50 and 100 butterflies (30.62/1:07.02), and 500 freestyle in a 5:54.17.
Sofia Jorge was the star of the 11-12 age group at this meet, picking up 6 individual gold medals. Jorge was just off her PBs in all 6 of her events, all of which she recently set the 2021 FG Junior Olympics in Coral Springs:
Sofia Jorge Winning Swims:
| Winning Time This Weekend | Best Time (2021 FG Junior Olympics, March 2021) | |
| 50 freestyle | 24.98 | 24.13 |
| 100 freestyle | 53.35 | 52.97 |
| 50 butterfly | 26.31 | 25.43 |
| 100 butterfly | 59.20 | 57.35 |
| 100 IM | 1:01.81 | 1:00.66 |
| 200 IM | 2:14.31 | 2:12.78 |
The Florida Swimming Team duo of Isabella Cardenas and Mary Agnes Smith won 3 and 2 gold medals, respectively for their team in the 13-14 age group. Cardenas was golden in the 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, and 400 IM. Her breaststroke swim of 2:23.90 was just 0.04 off her PB of 2:23.86 that she swam earlier this month while her IM swims were a little further off. In the 200 IM, she swam a 2:07.21 to trail her 2:05.73 and in the 400 IM was a 4:32.20 which is over her 4:29.51, both from earlier this month.
Smith’s first win came in the form of a tie with teammate in the 100 butterfly as they both hit a 57.43 for the victory. Smith followed that swim with a 2:05.90 in the 200 butterfly to win by just over a second as Charlotte Driesse followed in a 2:07.12.
The 100 butterfly for Smith of 57.43 was a new best time while her 2:05.90 200 butterfly was just over her fastest-ever swim of 2:05.77.