Over a thousand swimmers from across Georgia competed for a place in state competition in Atlanta last week. Preston Jenkins, a freshman at Richmond Hill High School, has brought a State Championship for AAA schools back home.

Jenkins qualified in five events but competed only in the 200 Freestyle and the 100 Backstroke. He placed in the top ten in the Free earlier in the evening and had one shot at the medal on Saturday night in the 100 Back. He got off to a slow start in the event but placed consecutive negative splits to out touch his rivals with a time of 51.61.

Jenkins needed to beat swimmers who were not only upperclassmen but were all experienced championship athletes and had him dwarfed in size. Jenkins showed that his heart was bigger and out swam his competitors in the last 25-yard sprint.

Jenkins joins his brother Kaleb, now swimming for the Air Force Academy, in bringing the identical prize to RHHS. Last year Kaleb took the AAA glory in the same event, the 100 Backstroke.

Jenkins is looking forward to competing in future local, state and national events in the next few months.