GULF SHORES, Ala.—The Gulf Shores Swim Team sent 15 swimmers to the Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club (GPAC) Winter Invitational January 15-17 at the University of West Florida (UWF). There were 14 teams and more than 500 swimmers in attendance. This is one of the largest meets the Gulf Shores Swim Team attends each winter. Gulf Shores finished in seventh  place overall with 87.5 points. The host team, Greater Pensacola Aquatics Club, won the meet with 2,316.5 points.

Jack Biggs, Eli Davidson, Clair Dickinson, Emma Lloyd, Aristia McLaughlin and Murray Reed scored points for the team during their individual events. The boys 8-and-under 100-yard medley relay team of Layne Reid, Jack Biggs, Cameron Joseph and Murray Reed finished second in the event. This earned 14 points for the team during the Sunday morning session.

Three team records were broken during the meet. Murray Reed broke his own record in the 50-yard freestyle when he finished in third place. Eli Davidson broke two team records at the meet. On Saturday he lowered the team’s time in the 50-yard Breaststroke in the 11-12 age group. He finished fifth overall in that event. On Sunday he set a new record in the 100-yard breaststroke for that age group while finishing in second place.

By virtue of his record setting efforts Eli has qualified for the Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championships in those two events. The meet will be held at Auburn University February 19-21. Teams from Alabama, Tennessee and the Florida panhandle will participate in the meet. Eli is the first championship meet qualifier from the Gulf Shores Swim Team since 2014.

Next weekend the Gulf Shores Swim Team will attend the PNY Polar Bear Invitational at the David L. Bodenhamer Center in Gulf Shores. The team will enter 18 swimmers.

After the Polar Bear Meet, the team will enter the District Championships to be held at the UWF aquatic facility. This meet is the focus of the winter season for most of the young swimmers on the Gulf Shores Team. It represents the Southern District Championship for the 8-and-under age group.

For further information about the swim team and other aquatic programs offered by the City of Gulf Shores, contact Coach Brook Hopkins at 251-968-1427.