The Shenandoah Marlins Aquatic Club qualified 11 swimmers for the highly competitive TYR Capital Classic Swim Meet held in Greensboro, N.C., from Dec. 16-18.
The 11 SMAC swimmers competing in the event were Jessie Arnold (14), Matt Bihl (16), Bobby Carey (14), Colleen Higgins (13), Norah Hunt (13), Steven Jenny (17), Justin Merritt (14), Alex Rayle (16), Brazil Rule (13), Remedy Rule (15) and Max Tempkin (14). The meet only had qualifying standards for boys and girls and no breakdown based on age so it was very impressive SMAC had so many young swimmers at the meet. The meet consisted of 18-and-under swimmers from Georgia to Connecticut.
All the SMAC swimmers had numerous personal best times and were working relentlessly to achieve six best times a piece so they would be awarded new swim caps from coach Norm Wright. There were many positives to the meet held at the brand new Greensboro Aquatic Center. The team traveled together, stayed in the hotel together, went to dinner together and even napped in the hotel lobby together when they couldn’t get a late checkout before finals Sunday afternoon.
Highlights of the meet included Tempkin breaking five minutes in the 500 free and placing in the top eight in five events, Jenny breaking 50 flat in the 100 free with a time of 49.22, Rayle achieving several Y national qualifying times and finishing in the top 16 in four events, Bihl dropping time in all his races, Carey with a sixth-place finish in the mile and two other top 10 finishes, Higgins dropping time in both breast stroke events even though she swam best times just a week earlier, Arnold with a second-place finish in the 200 free and sixth place in the 400 IM, Hunt with a fourth-place finish in the 500 free and the mile and eighth place in the 200 fly, Merritt qualifying for the meet in his first season with SMAC and swimming a best time in the 400 free relay, Brazil Rule for finishing sixth in the 500 free and 11th in the mile and Remedy Rule for breaking four meet records and winning six of her seven races.
Rule also set new SMAC records for the 15-and-older girls age group in all seven of her events. These records were held by Amy Charley and Ginny Griffith, who swam at the University of Missouri and University of Virginia, respectively, and Katie Keefer, who is currently swimming at the University of New Hampshire.
This was an outstanding meet for all of these young swimmers. All are to be congratulated for their perseverance the first half of the short course season (25 yard pools) and their competitiveness at the meet.
SMAC also recently received an award from USA Swimming’s Club Excellence Program. USA Swimming identifies and recognizes USA Swimming clubs for their commitment to performance excellence. They were specifically looking for programs that develop strong, well-rounded age group and senior swimmers that produce elite 18-and-under athletes. SMAC was one of only nine swim programs in Virginia to receive this honor.
For more information regarding SMAC swimming contact Coach Norm Wright, Director of Competitive Swimming at the Waynesboro Y at 942-5107 or email him at [email protected].
More at www.WaynesboroYMCA.com.
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