- April 19, 2024
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FPC junior Megan Hurley qualified for regionals in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle. She will also compete in two relay events. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Megan Hurley warms up with a kickboard in practice at the Belle Terre Swim & Racquet Club. Photo by Brent Woronoff.
Megan Hurley practices for regional. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Palm Coast High School junior Megan Hurley likes long swims. Long drives don’t bother her, either. In fact, lately they’ve gone hand in hand.
Hurley joined the Blue Dolfins swim club in Oviedo at the end of May to concentrate on her long-distance training. Since then she’s been driving an hour and 20 minutes each way to swim practice.
“It gets kind of boring, but it’s proven to be worth it so far,” she said.
Hurley went undefeated in both the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events against Volusia and Flagler competition this year, helping lead the Bulldogs’ girls’ team to the Five Star Conference championship with easy victories in both events.
She finished second in the 500 free and seventh in the 200 free at the District 1-4A meet Nov. 29 in Ponte Vedra Beach to qualify for regionals in both events.
The district, which includes St. Johns County schools, is one of the toughest in the state. At least one St. Johns County team has finished among the top three teams in the state in each of the last four years.
“She dropped four seconds off her time (in the 500),” said FPC girls’ coach Suzanne Bott. “It was finally nice to see her have some competition. She was never challenged all season.”
Hurley said she has improved quite a bit since joining the Blue Dolfins.
“It has really helped to be in a distance-oriented group,” she said. “My old training was with sprinters. It’s a lot more endurance and pace training, longer sets and longer yardages.”
The long distances are fine with her. Indeed, the longer the race the better.
“With her metabolism, she’s built for distance,” said FPC’s veteran boys’ coach Tom Gillin. “But more important, she has the mindset for it.”
“I like the more endurance events,” she said. “I like testing my stamina.
"I've always liked being in water wherever I was.”
Hurley will also swim in a couple of short events at the Nov. 5 regional meet, which, like districts, will be at the Planet Swim Club in Ponte Vedra.
"I've always liked being in water wherever I was.”
MEGAN HURLEY
Hurley, Lucy Noble, Michelle Marinez and Malaina Bryant qualified in both the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays. With Hurley leading off, and Noble anchoring, the Bulldogs finished second in the 200.
Noble also finished second in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events at district, and, like Hurley, will be swimming in four events at the regional.
The Bulldogs’ 200-yard medley relay team of Amelia Rowicka (backstroke), Julia Kurdziel (breaststroke), Malina Hreib (butterfly) and Mia Nielsen (freestyle) also qualified for the regional meet.
Jeffrey Serle will be the lone Bulldogs boys’ swimmer at regional after finishing 10th at district in the 100 backstroke.
