Swim Championships

It was an awesome season swimming this year with Bellair Swim Team.  I'm so glad we made the decision to participate and to also include the twins, half way through the year.

It has finally come to an end with the Championship.  Just one week after we arrived home from Campland, Cole had to swim in the Championships.  I wasn't sure how he would do, so I was very excited.

Throughout the season he has come in second and third but never First place.  Towards the end of the season he finally got a Blue ribbon and it was the "stuff"!  He'd waited all season for it.

So, going into the Championship I figured, since it was against all the teams in the Swim League, he might be third, fourth, fifth...Who knew!

Looking at the prelim qualifying times, he was seeded 9th and 7th.  Whoa, 9th in Freestyle and 7th in Backstroke...I didn't expect that at all.  

Either way he was going to attempt to make it into the Top 8 for the Final Championship race.  

The twins got to swim in the prelims also and they did awesome. It was so exciting to see them race for the last time. They both had improved times. I was so proud of them.

Cole raced Freestyle first and would you believe it, he came in 11th.  He didn't beat his qualifying time.  Something didn't go quite right.

But, when he swam Backstroke, his favorite stroke, He KILLED it.  He ended up 3rd going into the Championship.  From 7th place to 3rd place. Whoa!!

On Wednesday, he spent some time training with Stefan, his new best swimming friend, a 17 year old highschooler on the Mountain Ridge Swim Team.  They worked on his start.  I thought, hmmm, I wonder if that will work.

On "Game Day" he exploded from the wall, swam his heart out, and came  in 2nd place, a whole 3 seconds faster than the prelims race.  I was so excited I cried. He was literally just 1 small hand away from first place.

Wahooo!! It was so awesome.

To top it off, he was awarded Most Improved Swimmer at the awards ceremony.

He got his first ever Trophy and a Medal for the Championships.

I sure was proud of all my boys and I'm excited for next year. I hope they are too.

At the bottom you will see the most adorable little pic of Westin carrying Cole's swim bag from one side of the pool over to me. He's just adorable.