Sports Spotlight: Epiphany School and ECA Swimmer Jones works to become one of nations best in the pool
Placed top 15 at USA Swimming Junior National Championships in 500 freestyle
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - “I drive an hour to practice everyday and back,” says New Bern swimmer Charlie Jones.
“Charlie is from New Bern,” says East Carolina Aquatics head coach Casey Charles, “He travels to Greenville everyday.”
Distance Charlie Jones has put in to dedicate himself to swimming with East Carolina Aquatics.
“He’s versatile. He can swim every event. 200 IM you know he can swim every stroke really well,” says Charles, “He’s actually in our top 10 list in pretty much every stroke except backstroke and if he wanted to be he could be.”
A versatile swimmer with a favorite stroke.
“I’ve always swam the 100 fly,” says Jones, “I just really like it. It’s definitely my favorite stroke to race. I don’t know about training but it’s definitely my favorite stroke to race.”
Charlie has trained with the Greenville club for about 2 years.
“Just a really hard worker,” says Charles, “He’s very precise with his movements in the water. Very technical.”
It helped him earn a state championship in his favorite event for his Epiphany School.
“I go to a small private school, so our division is not the most competitive,” says Jones, “But still being state champion was pretty nice.”
His club has pushed him to add distance freestyle to his arsenal. Jones placed top 15 at the USA Swimming Junior National Championships in the 500 free.
“I went one best time in the 500 free,” says Jones, “I was really excited for the meet coming in. This is my first national meet... That meet definitely gave me a lot of confidence going into the winter and spring.”
The versatile Jones earned a division one scholarship this year at the University of Wisconsin.
“I basically had a year where I couldn’t visit any schools. This past June I went up to Wisconsin, it was my first visit and I fell in love with it,” says Jones, “I like everything about it.”
Now he will try to distance himself further from the rest as he prepares to make a splash for the badgers right away.
“I definitely hope to improve some of my times. To get in levels of scoring at the conference level. Like Big Ten’s,” says Jones, “That would be ideal.”
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