E.A. Sports Today

Blue Dolphins bask in big weekend

[corner-ad id=1]Numerous personal bests, Southeastern qualifying times highlight YBD’s long-course showing in Auburn

By East Alabama Sports Today

AUBURN — The Anniston YMCA Blue Dolphins swim team got a chance to flex their muscles and test their limits recently and enjoyed one of their best meets together.

The team recently returned from the long-course Richard Quick Invitational where its swimmers posted personal bests in nearly every event they entered and added numerous Southeastern qualifying times.

“It was an excellent meet for the team,” YBD assistant coach Johnnie Pearson said. “The team has no long water to train in and only gets to swim this (Olympic distance) course in competition, which only adds to their accomplishments.”

Cade Hilbun, 12, scored Southeastern qualifying times in the 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 50 butterfly.

Maya Montgomery, 10, qualified in the 100 butterfly (by 16 seconds) and 200 freestyle, running her Southeastern qualifying list to seven. She also posted a personal best 32.80 in the 50 freestyle, one of the top times in the Southeast this summer.

Anna Tiffner, 12, set personal bests in seven events, qualifying in the 50 back.

Margaret Tiffner, 9, scored four Top 16 performances in the 12-and-under age division. She qualified in the 100 fly and 50 back.

James Reeves, 12, broke out in the final session of the meet, qualifying for the Southeastern Championships in three events in less than two hours – 100 fly, 50 back and 100 free, where he dropped more than five seconds to make the standard.

Here are Top 16 results for the YBD swimmers

Cade Hilbun — 13th 50 fly, 13th 100 breast.
Sterling Kelly — 9th 50 fly, 4th 100 breast, 6th 50 breast.
Maya Montgomery — 3rd 50 freestyle, 6th 100 back, 8th 50 fly, 12th 200 free, 15th 50 breast, 6th 100 fly.
Gianna Pacelli — 5th 400 free, 12th 50 fly, 15th 100 free.
Sophia Pacelli — 16th 200 free, 13th 50 breast.
James Reeves — 15th 50 fly, 12th 100 breast, 9th 50 breast.
Susanna Reeves — 12th 50 breast.
Anna Tiffner — 15th 200 IM, 10th 400 free, 13th 100 back, 10th 50 back.
Margaret Tiffner — 14th 200 IM, 14th 200 free, 15th 50 back, 12th 100 butterfly.

The meet is named in honor of former Auburn and 1998 U.S. Olympic coach Richard Quick. It featured more than 900 of the top swimmers from Southeast and several international swimmers who will be competing in the World Championships in Russia later this summer.

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