Swim competitors witness tight battle in championship
The Fourth of July has passed, but fireworks still went off Wednesday night at the Augusta Aquatic Center.
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Will Owen, 7, of West Lake, competes in the Boys 7- to 8-year-old 25-yard freestyle.
Photo by Michael Holahan
One point separated Stratford and West Lake at the CSRA Swim League Division 4 Championship meet.
Stratford, which is in Evans, edged out West Lake Country Club in the closest meet in CSRA Swim League Championship history.
The final race decided the winner, with Stratford winning the Mixed 4-18 150-yard freestyle relay.
"Wow, what a finish," said Stratford coach Kevin Skenes. "That was unbelievable. The adrenaline was pumping during the entire race."
The two teams were dead even through the first five legs of the relay but Stratford's Alex Trakowski pulled away for the win.
Chase Ellison, 7, of the Augusta Jewish Community Center, prepares to leap into the water to compete in the Boys 7-to 8-year-old 25-yard freestyle during the CSRA Swim League Division 4 Championships at the Aquatics Center.
Photo by Michael Holahan
"I was really nervous up there," said the 18-year-old Trakowski, who has swam in state meets with Greenbrier High School. "I just tried to focus and swim the best race I could."
Stratford's victory ended night two of the annual CSRA Swim League Division Championships, which cap off the five-weeklong league, at the Augusta Aquatic Center.
The Royals' win was somewhat of an upset because the Dolphins were unbeaten and won the dual meet championship.
The same scenario occurred Tuesday when Division 3 dual-meet champion Jones Creek lost in the championship to North Augusta.
The best swimmers from the more than 20 pools that form the league compete in the weeklong championships with a separate division playing host to a meet each night.
"You have to remember the most important thing is that the kids have fun," said league President Gil Eustice. "They have fun and learn about swimming."
Some of the competitors are seasoned swimmers who compete in the area's two year-round organizations, the Aiken-Augusta Swim League and Greater Augusta Swimming. Most, however, are not.
"The most rewarding aspect of the entire CSRA Swim League is coaching the kids," said Trakowski, an assistant coach with Stratford. "Some of the kids have no idea how to swim competitively. Sometimes you want to pull your hair out. But seeing them succeed and help the team is the best part."
Katie Croft, 15, of the Glennwood Gators, competes in the Mixed 15-to 18-year-old 200-yard medley relay during the Swim League Championships.
Photo by Michael Holahan
Though a championship meet is a team effort, the individuals hope to post times good enough to ensure them a spot in today's All-Star meet.
"You want the team to do well," Skenes said. "But you also want to qualify for the All-Star meet. That is when you get a chance to compete against everybody from all the divisions. You see how good you really are."
Augusta Jewish Community Center finished fourth in Division 4 and Glennwood came in fifth. Woodbridge came in third in Division 3, while Jones Creek finished fourth.