Dolphin swimmers compete at Southeastern Long Course Championship

Dolphin swimmers compete at Southeastern Long Course Championship
Layne Reid, Jack Biggs, Murray Reed represent Gulf Shores

Layne Reid, Jack Biggs, and Murray Reed represented the Gulf Shores Swim Team at the Southeastern Swimming Long Course Championships on July 20-22. The meet was held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. There were 45 teams with over 1,000 swimmers entered in the meet from the region. The Southeastern Swimming region is Alabama, Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle.
The three Gulf Shores swimmers qualified for this meet by virtue of their results in previous long course meets during this spring and summer season. Reed and Biggs swam in the 10 and Under Boys division at the championship meet. Reid represented the Gulf Shores Dolphins in the 11-12 Boys division.
Reed, age 10, swam in six events and set six new Gulf Shores Swim Team records in the 200, 100, and 50-meter Freestyles, 50 Breaststroke, 100 Breaststroke, and 50-meter Butterfly for his age group. Reed scored 97 points for the team and finished in 3rd place for high point recognition in his age group.
Reed won the 50 and 100-meter Freestyles. He placed 2nd in the 200-meter Freestyle. He also placed 4th and 6th in the Breaststroke races and captured 7th in the 50-meter Butterfly event. He was competing against 45 or more swimmers in his division in each event including his teammate, Biggs.
Biggs, age 9, also competed in six events during the three day swim meet. He set personal best times in five of the events. His highest placing at the meet was 12th in the 50-meter Freestyle, where he lowered his time by 2.56 seconds.
Reid returned to the long course championship meet as an 11 year old. He qualified and swam the 50-meter breaststroke in the 11-12 division. He finished near his qualifying time and gained valuable experience at the next level of competitive swimming.
Meanwhile the entire team is getting ready for the Gulf Coast Area Aquatic League Championship. The City of Gulf Shores hosted the end of season meet at the David L. Bodenhamer Center Pool on July 27-28. Eight teams and over 400 swimmers will be attending the two-day meet. Last year the Gulf Shores Dolphins won the Division II championship at the meet. This year they will move up to Division I and face the Fairhope Sharks and the Eastern Shore Piranhas.
The Gulf Shores Swim Team is operated by the City of Gulf Shores at the David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center. For additional information about the numerous aquatics programs offered at the Bodenhamer Center by the City of Gulf Shores, contact Head Coach Brook Hopkins, 968-1427.
Pictured: (left to right): Layne Reid, Jack Biggs, and Murray Reed.