Florida Swimming & Florida Gold Coast Swimming All-Star Meet
- March 24-26, 2023
- Indian River State College, Fort Pierce, FL
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
The annual Florida All-Stars meet took place in Fort Pierce, Florida last month. The All-Star meet features the top age group swimmers from Florida Swimming and Florida Gold Coast Swimming, with the selection meet being their respective Age Group Championships. Once athletes are selected, they drafted into four teams (Gators, Sharks, Rays, Barracudas), consisting of swimmers and coaches from both LSCs.
The Barracudas topped the team scores this year with 1097.5 points overall. Coming close in close behind was the Gators, who tallied 1078 points by the end of the competition.
Team Scores:
- Barracudas – 1097.5
- Gators – 1078
- Sharks – 913
- Stingrays – 902.5
Leading the way on the girls’ side of the meet was 11-year-old Penelope Lopez-Casula of Eagle Aquatics, who earned six individual victories. She opened with a victory in the 100 freestyle, where she clocked a personal best time of 51.84. Her swim makes her the fastest in the 11-12 age group this season, and ranks her 23rd on the all-time list.
She also topped this season’s rankings in the 50 freestyle, as she touched first in the individual event with a best time of 23.61. She went on to lower her time further as the lead off leg of the mixed 200 freestyle relay, coming in 23.57. Her relay split marked a personal best by about three tenths, and moves her to 7th all-time in the age group.
In addition to the sprint freestyle events, she logged personal best times in the 50 fly (26.46) and 200 IM (2:15.86), with her 50 fly time ranking 17th this season for 11-12 girls.
Rounding out Lopez-Casula’s victories was the 100 backstroke (1:01.54) and 200 freestyle (1:54.40), where she was just off her personal best times she had set earlier in the month at the Florida Gold Coast Age Group Championships.
On the boys’ side of the meet, Trace Colton from North Palm Beach Swim Club also secured six wins. Colton’s only personal best time of the meet was in the 1000 freestyle, where he won in 10:24.07, ranking him 5th this year for 11-12 boys. Though they were not best times, Colton also won the 50 free (23.76), 100 free (51.40), 200 free (1:53.80), 50 fly (26.09), and 200 IM (2:10.04).
9-year-old Sarah Fiama Fast Lane Aquatics had an outstanding meet, capturing five victories in the girls’ 9-10 age group. Fiama’s weekend was highlighted by her best time performance in the 100 freestyle, where she broke the minute-barrier for the first time to log a 59.92. Her other wins included the 100 IM (1:11.84), 200 IM (2:32.57), 100 fly (1:10.08), and 200 freestyle (2:14.71).
Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team’s Bradshaw Shoemaker picked up four wins in the boys’ 10 & under age group, with two of his swims being personal best times. In the 500 free, he knocked nearly four seconds off his previous best from the Florida Swimming Age Group Championships to clock a 5:38.39. He also took half a second off his 50 breaststroke to post a 35.46. In addition, he won the 200 IM (2:29.99) and 100 breast (1:18.72), slightly off his best times in both.
She also crushed it at the ISCA Elite Classic last week. Great swims! Keep bringing the heat Penelope!
Congratulations Penelope, great swims!
Even the little children are cracked these days
Is 11 a bit young to be reporting on?
No age is too young as long their swimming fast
True I as an 11 year old wish I was getting reports
Swim faster
It’s worth a mention when you swim a 50 time that will make finals in most HS state meets.