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Megan Romano continued her dominance of the swimming competition by winning five events last weekend at the Al Soltis Memorial Invitational.
Romano, who swims for St.Pete Aquatics in the 11-12 division, placed first in the 50-yard freestyle (24.76 seconds), 100 free (54.17), 200 free (1:58.29), 100 backstroke (1:00.12) and 200-meter individual medley (2:15.11).
SPA had many other winners.
In the 13-14 bracket, Stase Michota captured first in the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.82). Tracy Rorer won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:09.18. Victoria King, swimming in the senior division, had the fastest time in the 50-yard freestyle (24.85). Colleen Bauza came in first in the 100 backstroke in 1:01.82. Romano, who moved up to the senior bracket for some events, was the top performer in the 200-yard backstroke (2:07.75).
Two relay teams also turned in strong showings. The 400-yard freestyle squad of Daniela Brands, Romano, King and Charlotte Petersen and 400 medley team of Romano, Rorer, Kelsey Krauss and Brands finished No.1 with times of 3:39 and 4:05.01.
Some boys also produced victories for SPA. In the 13-14 division, Russell Snyder won the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.33) and 200 breaststroke (2:21.67). For the senior boys, Brenno Varanda placed first in the 200 breaststroke (2:16.36). Brent Sunnucks had the best performance in the 200-yard fly at 2:00.94. The 400-yard medley team of Adam Moody, Varanda, Sunnucks and Mitchell Snyder won in 3:45.75.
GYMNASTICS: LaFleur's Gymnastics Club of Largo competed in the Sand Dollar Invite on Jan.24-25 at the Disney Wide World of Sports in Orlando.
The Level 7 team placed third, with Deidre Nieves winning the vault competition and taking third on the bars. Rebecca Roberts was first in the floor exercise and second on the balance beam. Ashley Card came in second on the vault. For the Level 8 team, which placed sixth, Lisa Leone won on the vault and beam and was second on the floor. Brynn Fullmer was first on the vault and floor, third on the beam and fourth on the bars.
In Level 9, the squad finished eighth. Jenifer Voynovich captured the all-around title and was second on the beam and floor and third on the vault. Danielle Carey took third in the all-around and vault and fourth on the beam and bars. Natalie Garcia came in first on the floor. Lesley Valenty, Level 10, claimed the all-around crown and vault and floor titles, plus was third on the bars and beam. Alyssa Wright finished second in all-around, first on the floor and third on beam and bars.
Gemini's optional girl's team competed in the Battle of Champions Invitational meet last weekend at Pinellas Expo Center.
The Level 7 squad finished second, led by Sarah Zoldos. She won the all-around with a score of 37.375. She was second on the vault (9.550), third on the bars (8.750) and tied for fourth on floor (9.550). Lauryn Kannard finished third all-around (37.200), including second on the floor (9.675). Christina Gunther took sixth in the all-around.
For the sixth-place Level 9 squad, Elizabeth Dupell finished second on the vault (9.300) and 10th all-around (34.150).
The girls at Apollo School of Gymnastics of Oldsmar traveled to South Carolina last weekend to compete in the Hilton Head Island Invitational. In Level 5, Kelsey White and Scout McDaniel came in first in the all-around. White, 9, won the vault, beam and floor competition and finished second on bars. McDaniel, 10, placed first on the bars, beam and floor and second on vault.
Alex Rosenbaum, 12, and 9-year-old Lucia Russo were second in the overall. Rosenbaum won the floor event and was second on vault, bars and beam. Russo was first on the bars and second on beam, floor and vault. Finishing third for the Level 5 team, Carrie Anderson, 12, came in first on the beam and third on vault, bars and floor. For Level 6, Molly Nelson, 8, placed 11th in the all-around, and 10-year-old Taylor Lubecki finished ninth.
The club's boys competed last month in the Gator Swamp Invitational in Gainesville.
The Class 4 team finished second and had two members capture all-around championships. Sterling Jackson, 11, and Grant Brittain, 13, each were first in the vault and high bars. Brittain also won the pommel horse and parallel bars, was second on the rings and fourth on floor. Jackson was second on the rings, floor and parallel bars and third on the pommel horse.