Sports

Bridgewater Swimmer Places at Buffalo Swim Meet

Captures third place in 200 Breaststroke and 400-yard Freestyle relay finals at prestigious competition.

Bridgewater's Andrew Rattray, a member of the Berkeley Aquatic Club's 13-14 year olds swim teams, recently participated in the prestigious Star Short Course Invitational Swim Meet, in Buffalo, N.Y.

Andrew was among 60 members of the Berkeley Aquatic Club traveling to the meet Dec. 12-15, and picked up a third place finish in the Men’s 200 Breast finals with a time of 2:28.13. He was part of the BAC's 400-yard Freestyle relay team, with Kevin Flynn, Jonathan Hua and Peter Shepanzyk, which also placed third at the finals.

Andrew notched an eighth place finish in the 1,000-yard Freestyle preliminary finals, with a time of 10:52.10. He also finished eighth in the men’s 400 IM, and tenth in the 100-yard Breaststroke finals.  

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There were over 19 teams entered into the meet, some from as far away as Michigan. The event draws swimmers from both the United States and Canada, with races taking place in the EEC Burt Flickinger Center Pool, at Erie Community College.   

This pool was the site of the 1993 World University Games and Senior Nationals in 1997. It has also been the site of the Eastern Zone   “Super Sectionals” Swim Meet in 2004, 2006 2009 and 2010. A swimmer must have a qualifying time to enter, so for many it is an accomplishment to participate. The meet has Preliminary races in the mornings and Finals in the evenings. For the oldest swimmers there are three heats of Finals with 8 lanes per heat. Younger swimmers have two heats of Finals, with the youngest, 10 and under, having one heat of Finals. Alternates are selected from the next top two finishers after the finalists. Finals began each evening with the singing of both our national anthem and the Canadian’s.           

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The meet began with the late day session on Thursday, December 12, 2013 with Senior Swimmers, usually those 15 and older, swimming the 1650 yard Freestyle.  The 1650, also known as the pool mile, is 66 laps of Freestyle. The Berkeley Aquatic Club, known for its strong distance swimmers, had 12 women and 12 men compete. 

Many of the swimmers at the Berkeley Aquatic Club look forward to the trip to Buffalo for this meet all year. It is provides swimmers with a chance to improve their times, in every event. Swimmers always hope to get a “GOLD," as this qualifies them to swim in the Junior Olympics. A number of swimmers achieved Gold times, despite the fact that they were not in the Finals. This is also a wonderful accomplishment.            

The team always enjoys the trip to Buffalo, many members travel together by bus. The meet was a big success for the Berkeley Aquatic Club. The team received two first place medals and several third place medals. Relays teams also finished in medal contention. It was a very successful year in Buffalo for many Berkeley Aquatic Club swimmers.

 

 

            


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