2023 Sunshine State Games Facts and Figures from Friday at the Alachua County Festival

When the first Artistic Swimmer dove into the H. Spurgeon Cherry Northside Pool Friday morning, it marked the 20th time Sunshine State Games events have been held in Gainesville/Alachua County.

While Friday’s competition was halted by inclement weather at 1:00 p.m., all but four events were completed. A 273 Artistic Swimmers will be in the water over the weekend.

In the day’s final routines at the H. Spurgeon Cherry Northside Pool, two pairs of sisters swam in the Junior Olympic 18-19 year old Duets event.

Ally and Katie Nix, of the Orlando Loreleis (in top photo), won the gold medal and Chi and Thi Pham, of the Lakeland YMCA Flamingos (in bottom photo), earned the silver medal.

While both duet teams were talented and performed nearly flawless routines, the Nix’s victory was due to performing a more difficult routine, an added element in artistic swimming for 2023, according to Loreleis coach, Mary Vigneron.

Flamingos Coach and SSG Artistic Swimming Sport Director, Lorraine Valerino, agreed, and added this new rule which took effect this year stretches from the top, at the Olympic level, to the bottom, and Novice level swimmers.

“It’s the biggest redesign of the sport in over 100 years,” Valerino said.

The Artistic Swimmers return to the pool tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. with the completion of the events cancelled on Friday and the Intermediate and Athletes With Disabilities events.

Besides Artistic Swimming’s second day, three more sports are in play Saturday. Here’s more facts and figures as Archery, Fencing and Ultimate enter the field of play.

108 Archers are taking aim at Gator Bowmen Archery.

130 Fencers are on the strips at the Legacy Park Multipurpose Center.

14 Ultimate Teams, 6 mixed and 8 men’s teams are on the field at the Jonesville Soccer Complex.

280 Players from 17 to 62 years old. TempRoar, from Bradenton, returns to defend its 2022 Men’s Division Championship and B-Unit, from Gainesville, was a Mixed Silver Medal Winning Team in 2022.

Athletes from age 5 to 82 years old in competition this weekend in Alachua County. Five-year old Eva Torres, from Pembroke Pines, will compete in Artistic Swimming. Pensacola archer, Donald Hires, is also competing at 82-years old.

94 athletes on the younger side, age 10 and under are registered to compete. One archer, 82 artistic swimmers and 11 fencers. The 8 and under Epee event has nine fencers competing, including 7-year old James Michlitsch, of Merritt Island.

17 athletes on the not so younger side, age 70 and over, will be in action. 13 archers, 1 artistic swimmer, 3 fencers are participating.

Sunshine State Games Ambassador for Fencing, Wayne Frey, has been competing in the Games since 2002. He will compete in five events over two days at the Legacy Park Multipurpose Center. Since 2002, Frey has competed in Sunshine State Games Fencing with his three daughters, Rachel, Claire and Nicole.

Gainesville’s Amaya Ward, will compete in the 8 and under Mixed Foil event on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

Matthew Hall, of Valrico, returns to Archery competition, after posting the overall high score, 862, in the Freestyle event at the 2022 Sunshine State Games. Hall will be pulling back the bow with his 16-year old daughter, Alexis.

Through this weekend, over 4,800 of Florida’s Finest Athletes have competed in Sunshine State Games events in eight different Florida communities.

Sunshine State Games Schedule, June 10-11 – Subject to change
Saturday, June 10
7:30 a.m. – Artistic Swimming Begins, H. Spurgeon Cherry Northside Pool, Gainesville
8:30 a.m. – Fencing Begins, Legacy Park Multipurpose Center, Alachua (Onsite Registration is Available beginning at 7:30 a.m.)
9:00 a.m. – Archery Begins, Gator Bowmen, Gainesville (Onsite Registration is available beginning at 8:00 a.m.)
9:00 a.m. – Ultimate Begins, Jonesville Sports Complex, Gainesville

Sunday, June 11
7:30 a.m. – Artistic Swimming Begins, H. Spurgeon Cherry Northside Pool, Gainesville
8:30 a.m. – Fencing Begins, Legacy Park Multipurpose Center, Alachua (Onsite Registration is Available beginning at 7:30 a.m)
9:00 a.m. – Archery Begins, Gator Bowmen, Gainesville (Onsite Registration is available beginning at 8:00 a.m.)
9:00 a.m. – Ultimate Begins, Jonesville Sports Complex, Gainesville

All Sunshine State Games events are free of charge and spectators are encouraged to attend.