2013 SC scy State Championships
2013 SCS Short-course State Championships
The Myrtle Beach Riptides swim team travelled to Greenville, SC for the 2013 South Carolina Swimming State Championships February 15-18. The meet was the largest in the State’s history, hosting over 750 swimmers. Eight members of the Riptides made the trip to Greenville to face the fastest swimmers in South Carolina and a surprise snow shower!
Chad Bateson (senior) went a perfect 6-for-6 personal best times, setting two team records in the 1000- and 1650-yard freestyle events. Bateson also earned his first Senior Sectional Championship standard in the 1000-free. Senior Sectional Championships is the first level of national level competition within the swimming community.
Eddie Bateson (senior) swam to 6 personal best times and 3 team records – 400 Individual Medley, 500 freestyle and 200 backstroke. A highlight swim for Bateson was the 500 free, as he broke through the 5:00 barrier for the first time, swimming a final 4:57.9.
Julia Campbell (senior) picked up two personal best times in the 400 Individual Medley and 200 backstroke. The 200 backstroke represented her largest improvement of nearly 5 seconds.
Andi Chuchill (13-14) competed in the longest events of the meet, the 1000- and 1650-yard freestyle events.
Connor Churchill (11-12) swam to a best time in his only event, the 500-free, improving his time by more than 7 seconds.
Danielle Flaherty (11-12) had the largest event schedule of all Riptides’ competing in 10 events over the weekend. A very long meet for Flaherty, she competed in many of the toughest events – 400 IM, 500-, 1000- and 1650-freestyle events. Flaherty improved her 500 free by almost 2 seconds.
Barbara Long (senior) who joined the Riptides in late-October and has continued to improve. Long had season and personal best times in the 200 free (leading a relay), 50-, 1000- and 1650-freestyle events and competed in the 200- and 400-IM events for the first time in over a year, after recovering from a previous knee injury. Long’s results in those events were less than 2 seconds over her personal bests.
Lexi Roberts (10/Under) competed in seven events in her first-ever State Championships. Roberts earned four personal best times and set three new team records in the 50- and 100- backstrokes and 200-freestyle.
Said head coach James Smith, “We are very proud of our swimmers and how they performed. While we still have work to do, there were several break-out swims. The future looks very good for the Riptides.”
The Riptides have several more meets before the end of the current season. Members will travel to Mount Pleasant for the Grand Prix Championships; to Auburn, AL for the Senior/Age-group Open; and will host the final meet of the season, the Lowcountry Palmetto Championships in North Myrtle Beach.
