Mainland, Flagler Palm Coast get swim meet in on a rainy day

The Bulldogs hosted their second and final meet of the season; both teams will compete in the Five Star Conference Championships on Oct. 7.

  • Palm Coast Observer
  • Sports
  • Share

Flagler Palm Coast swim coaches were happy to get in their home meet against Mainland on a rainy Thursday, Sept. 27.

"We weren't showing thunder and lightning activity, so we lucked out," said FPC boys coach Tom Gillin.

FPC's boys defeated Mainland 134-24, while the FPC girls defeated the Bucs 100-29.

It was the Bulldogs' second and final home meet of the season at the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club. They hosted Father Lopez on Sept. 20.

The pool does not have starting blocks, so if the Bulldogs' opponent has starting blocks they try to schedule the meet away, Gillin said.

FPC has two meets remaining before the district meet. FPC and Mainland will compete in the Five Star Conference Championship on Oct. 7 at the Port Orange YMCA.

The Bulldogs will close the regular season with their annual combined senior-day meet with Matanzas on Oct. 11 at the Palm Coast Aquatics Center.

FPC girls coach Rebecca Smith said the Bulldogs' times are currently unofficial because they have been using stopwatches, but the Five Star meet will use touchpads, so those times will be official.

Smith said the Bulldogs' girls team has been working hard and getting stronger. Smith said freshman Emma Gilbert, currently the team's fastest breaststroker, has been displaying her versatility in the pool, both in her strokes and her sports. After swim practice, she remains at the pool for Synchro Belles practice.

"She swims the breaststroke in our "A" medley relay," Smith said. "But I see her really growing in the 200 (individual medley).

BULLDOG CHALLENGE

The FPC swim teams held their annual Bulldog Challenge earlier this season. Each swimmer had a goal of swimming consecutive 100-yard freestyle sprints without breaks.

Two swimmers reached the maximum goal of 100 consecutive 100s, which comes to a total of 10,000 yards in 400 laps in the 25-lap Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club pool.

For the boys, junior Loris Eloyan swam a hundred 100s with an average time of 1 minute, 35 seconds for each 100-yard split. For the girls, senior Malina Hreib also swam a hundred 100s with an average time of 1:40.

Other swimmers swam 60, 70 or 80 100-yard sprints.

"We had 13 swimmers attempt the challenge, and all of them reached their goal," Smith said.

 

×

Your free article limit has been reached this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited digital access to our award-winning local news.