The Fayette Citizen-Sports Page
Wednesday, September 15, 1999
Southside Seals dominate water

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Sports Editor

Members of the Southside Seals Masters Swim Team brought home a team record 12 medals from the Georgia Games earlier this summer.

Seals swimmers Steve McDonald, Kato Eiji, Steve Justice and Ken Sharpe combined for seven gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

The Southside Seals dominated the Men's 40-44 age group by winning five of the 14 events and one out of every four medals awarded. It was the first time at the Georgia Games for Eiji and McDonald. McDonald won bronze medals in both the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke, while Eiji took home silver medals in 50-, 100- and 200-meter freestyle events. Justice continued his Georgia Games success by winning five gold medals in the 50-, 100- and 200-meter backstroke as well as the 100-meter breaststroke and the 200-meter freestyle.

In the Men's 45-49 age group, Ken Sharpe dominated the sprint freestyle events by winning the gold in both the 50- and 100-meter events.

At the Georgia Games and earlier meets, three Southside Seals swimmers have qualified for the USMS National Long Course Swimming Championships. Eiji and Sharpe achieved national time standards in the 50-meter freestyle, while Justice qualified in the 50- and 100-meter freestyles as well as the 50-meter backstroke.

After returning from the Georgia Games in Augusta, the Seals hosted their second annual Endless Summer masters swim meet at the Kedron Aquatic Center in Peachtree City. The meet featured swimmers from seven local masters teams. The Seals were dominant in the meet, though. Nine members of the Seals team combined to win 27 events and every swimmer won at least two events.

The winners were many of the same who performed so well at the Georgia Games; Justice, Sharpe, Eiji and McDonald, as well as members Jamie Gore, Karol Welling, Bonnie Garrot and Susan Porter.

The Seals swimmers also put up some fantastic times at the meets, achieving national qualifying times. Sharpe bettered the qualifying times in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles, while Justice qualified in the 50-yard breaststroke.

The Southside Seals is a member club of the United States Masters Swimming and is open to all adults over 19. Swimmers of all skill levels are welcome, including competitive swimmers, triathletes and fitness swimmers. Practices are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 p.m. at the Kedron Aquatic Center. To join or for information, phone Steve Justice at 770-964-5323.

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