By CRYSTAL BAITY

ECA Publicity

 

The Gators of East Carolina Aquatics hosted several teams from North Carolina at the 2015 ECA Beach Invitational held at the Sports Center in Morehead City June 19-21. Despite air temperatures near 100 degrees and lukewarm pool water, ECA swimmers performed well by setting three new team records and achieving new qualifying times for the North Carolina 14 and Under Championships.

Swimmers competed in a 50-meter outdoor pool in the long course events.

Twelve-year-old standout Jack Nowacek of Beaufort broke two of his own team records. He beat his 50-freestyle time by a half second with a time of 28.03. He also dropped more than a second in his 100-freestyle record with a time of 1:01.42. He also broke the 50-butterfly team record by shaving half a second off Jason Wong’s 50-butterfly record from 1997 with a time of 31.03. Nowacek won eight of 10 events, making him ECA’s top male scorer.

Ten-year-old Brooke Despres of Winterville won all eight of her events making her ECA’s top female scorer. Other event winners included Kevin Andrews of Washington, Emerson Barnhill of Greenville, Patrick Edge of Morehead City, JD McCray of Cape Carteret, Christian Quinn of Morehead City, James Reindl of Cape Carteret and Bethany Tart of Winterville.

The following swimmers earned new qualifying times for the 2015 NC 14 and Under State Championship Meet in July: Eleanor Blount of Greenville, Morgan Despres of Winterville, Matthew Hardy of Morehead City, Emma Hastings of Greenville, Grant Meadows of Swansboro, Lyndsey Reeve of Emerald Isle and Tart.

ECA will compete next at the Triangle Aquatic Center Age Group/ Senior Meet in Cary in July.

East Carolina Aquatics is a year-round swim team for youth and adults ages 4 and up with more than 450 swimmers at training sites in Greenville, Morehead City, Cape Carteret and Washington. For more information, visit www.swimeca.org.