Julia Podkoscielny Sets Gold Coast Record in 400 IM at Winter Championships

Florida Gold Coast 31st Annual Speedo Winter Championships

• Dec. 9 – Dec. 12, 2021
• Plantation Aquatic Complex, Plantation, FL
• Short Course Yards
• Results available on MeetMobile “31st Annual Speedo Winter Championships”

Team Top 10

1. South Florida Aquatic Club – 1449.5
2. Saint Andrew’s Aquatics – 1394
3. Metro Aquatic Club of Miami – 1220
4. Midtown Weston Aquatics – 583
5. Jupiter Dragons Swim Team – 571.5
6. Wellington Swim Team – 525
7. Azura Florida Aquatics – 516
8. TS Aquatics – 448
9. Blue Marlins of Hialeah Garden – 390
10. Pine Crest Swim Team – 369

South Florida Aquatic Club swam to a team title at the 31st edition of the Florida Gold Coast Winter Championships. The strong team performance from the SOFL men was able to outpace the strong performance of the Saint Andrew’s women to secure the team title by 55.5 points. 

17-year-old Julia Podkoscielny set a FGC record in the 400 IM, clocking in at 4:08.01. Podkoscielny, who is committed to swim at the University of Florida, did not compete in any other events. Podkoscielny’s time is the second fastest in the 17-18 age group this season, behind only Justina Kozan’s 4:06.74 set at Winter Juniors. 

Podkoscielny is looking to make an immediate impact for the Gators IM group. Her 4:08.01 would be the fastest on the team in the event this year. 

Azura’s Sirena Rowe swept the sprint free events. She won the 50 free with a time of 22.87, which was off of her best time of 22.08, and the 100 free in 50.18, which was also off of her best of 49.36 set at the ACC Championships in February. Rowe swam at North Carolina State and graduated after last season. She was part of the NCAA Champion 200 Medley Relay for the Wolfpack. She has not competed much since the NCAA championships, besides a club meet and the Toyota US Open meet earlier this month. 

Other Top Performers: 

• Nicole Frank Rodriguez won the 200 breast in a time of 2:13.04, just over two seconds better than her previous best of 2:15.29. She also won the 200 IM in 2:02.11, just under her previous best of 2:02.16.
• 16-year-old Aspen Gersper of Saint Andrew’s won the 200 fly in 2:00.09 and the 200 back in 1:57.94. 
• Peruvian Olympian Joaquin Vargas won the 500 free in 4:22.23.
• Swim Fort Lauderdale’s Dylan Felt, who is 17, had a strong showing in the freestyle events. He won the 1650 in 15:36.22, finished second in the 500 in 4:27.40, was runner-up in the 100 finishing in 46.18, and finished second in the 200 clocking in at 1:40.03.