Members of Georgia Coastal Aquatic Team (GCAT) traveled to Columbus, Georgia on February 20 for the 2026 Georgia Short Course Age Group Championship. This three-day event included swimmers from ages 11-14 from throughout the state of Georgia who had to reach various qualifying times to compete for titles in individual and team events. 30 GCAT swimmers qualified for this event, leading the team to finish first in the medium-sized team category, and fourth overall in the state.
For a medium-sized team, the swimmers had a strong showing, earning multiple medals across age-groups. Gold medal winners included Oliver Lin, 14, taking first place in both the 500 freestyle and the 1000 freestyle for 13-14 boys, and Marianne Hatala, 11, taking first place in the 50, 100, and 200 breaststroke for 11-12 girls. Lin also medaled in the 200 Fly, 200 freestyle, and 400 individual medley. The third medalist from GCAT was Sophia Zhao, 12, earning bronze in the 100 breaststroke.
Additional finalists from GCAT included:
- 13-14 Boys: Thomas Dodson, Paul Moeller, Wilkes Sabogal, Ryan Sampsell, Sonny Shannon, Daon Song
- 11-12 Boys: Dom Brown, Neil Hsu, Jones Sewell
- 13-14 Girls: Clara Brown, Ivy Fang
- 11-12 Girls: Aili Hines, Jules Moyer
The team will compete in their Divisionals championship at the Chatham County Aquatics Center later this month before shifting their focus to the long course season.
