GAINESVILLE -- The Sunshine State Games Alachua County Festival began Friday with the Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club and Gator Swim Team taking gold medals in eight of the 14 swimming events at the Dwight Hunter Northeast Pool. Other gold medal winners came from the St. Augustine Swim Team, High Tide Aquatics of Gainesville and the Maclay Northside Dolphins of Tallahassee.
The two teams have battled it out for the points championship the last two years with ATAC winning the championship in each of the last two years. 16-year old Hannah Burns, of the Gator Swim Club, won the 400 Meter Women’s Freestyle event with a time of 4:22.21. It was Burns’ ninth Sunshine State Games gold medal having won six at the 2012 Games and two in 2011.
The big winner of the day was 10-year old Lain Shahboz, of High Tide Aquatics, who won the Girl’s 10 and under 200 IM by more than 20 seconds, with a time of 2:48.66. Shahboz won six gold medals in last year’s Sunshine State Games swimming. Her teammate 18-year old Ben Borgert, was the only swimmer to win a pair of medals, winning the silver in the 200 IM and a bronze in the 400 Freestyle.
Two-time Olympian and NCAA Champion swimmer Elizabeth Beisel visited the swimming competition to meet with swimmers and sign autographs. Beisel is a junior at the University of Florida.
All seven sports, and more than 2,900 athletes, of the Sunshine State Games Alachua County Festival will be in action on Saturday. Rowing is the only one day sport taking place on Saturday. Archery, Fencing, Lacrosse, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming and Ultimate will be in action on Saturday and Sunday.
Lacrosse will not be played at the MLK Multipurpose Fields or Milton Lewis Stadium because of drainage issues from Thursday’s rain. Some games have been moved to the Easton Newberry Sports Complex. Please check the schedule at www.flasports.com for the most up-to-date schedule.
