A 32-year-old county meet record fell, and one school continued its team dominance last weekend at the 2025 Polk County Swimming and Diving Championships at Rowdy Gaines Pool.
While there are some smaller meets this week, swimmers are now adjusting their training for the postseason that begins with district meets next week, and times for top swimmers should continue to drop.
Here are the top highlights from the county meet.
Cabrera breaks Dunham’s record set in 1993
Lake Wales junior Marcos Cabrera swam a personal-record of 58.23 seconds in the 100-yard breaststroke that shattered the mark of 59.70 set by Bartow’s Eddie Durham in 1993. His time would have placed him sixth at last year’s 2A state meet. He finished 11th last year.
Cabrera also won a showdown in the 50 free with former teammate Chance Swinburne of McKeel. Cabrera won in 22.03, and Swinburne was second in 22.67.
Both swimmers will compete next week in the Class 2A, District 7 meet beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Hardee Recreation Complex.
More two-time winners
McKeel senior Bryce Palmer, who set a city meet record last year, came up short in her goal of setting a county meet record but still came away with two titles. She won the 100 butterfly in 1:03.04 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:07.17.
George Jenkins’ Vanessa Calva, as expected, won the 100 freestyle in 56.10, and the 200 freestyle in 2:05.92.
Davenport’s Anthony Nogueras also won two events. He won the 200 freestyle in 1:53.87 and the 500 freestyle in 5:13.93.
McKeel captures team boys and girls team titles
The McKeel boys and girls repeated last team county champions. The girls finished with 310 points, and George Jenkins was a distance second with 134 points. Winter Haven (117), All Saints (110) and Lake Wales rounded out the top five.
The boys competition was closer but still decisive for McKeel. The Wildcats won with 236 points, and Winter Haven was second with 160 points. George Jenkins (126), Lakeland Christian (89) and Bartow (82) rounded out the top five.
More winners and top performers
The McKeel girls won the 200 medley relay (1:56.96), 200 freestyle relay (1:48.47) and 400 freestyle relay (3:57.28). The McKeel boys won the 200 freestyle (1:36.24) and 400 freestyle (3:31.70), and the Winter Haven boys won the 200 medley relay (1:53.59). Here are the other top performers.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lake Wales’ Cabrera sets county mark plus all the highlights from Polk County swim meet
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
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