Members of

the Southside Seals Masters Swim Team brought home a team

record 12 medals from the Georgia Games earlier this

summer.

Seals

swimmers Steve McDonald, Kato Eiji, Steve Justice and Ken

Sharpe combined for seven gold, three silver and two

bronze medals.

The

Southside Seals dominated the Men's 40-44 age group by

winning five of the 14 events and one out of every four

medals awarded. It was the first time at the Georgia

Games for Eiji and McDonald. McDonald won bronze medals

in both the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke, while Eiji

took home silver medals in 50-, 100- and 200-meter

freestyle events. Justice continued his Georgia Games

success by winning five gold medals in the 50-, 100- and

200-meter backstroke as well as the 100-meter

breaststroke and the 200-meter freestyle.

In the

Men's 45-49 age group, Ken Sharpe dominated the sprint

freestyle events by winning the gold in both the 50- and

100-meter events.

At the

Georgia Games and earlier meets, three Southside Seals

swimmers have qualified for the USMS National Long Course

Swimming Championships. Eiji and Sharpe achieved national

time standards in the 50-meter freestyle, while Justice

qualified in the 50- and 100-meter freestyles as well as

the 50-meter backstroke.

After

returning from the Georgia Games in Augusta, the Seals

hosted their second annual Endless Summer masters swim

meet at the Kedron Aquatic Center in Peachtree City. The

meet featured swimmers from seven local masters teams.

The Seals were dominant in the meet, though. Nine members

of the Seals team combined to win 27 events and every

swimmer won at least two events.

The winners

were many of the same who performed so well at the

Georgia Games; Justice, Sharpe, Eiji and McDonald, as

well as members Jamie Gore, Karol Welling, Bonnie Garrot

and Susan Porter.

The Seals

swimmers also put up some fantastic times at the meets,

achieving national qualifying times. Sharpe bettered the

qualifying times in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles,

while Justice qualified in the 50-yard breaststroke.

The

Southside Seals is a member club of the United States

Masters Swimming and is open to all adults over 19.

Swimmers of all skill levels are welcome, including

competitive swimmers, triathletes and fitness swimmers.

Practices are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 p.m.

at the Kedron Aquatic Center. To join or for information,

phone Steve Justice at 770-964-5323.