All-City Swim Meet breaks 50 pool, 21 all-city records

2,000 swimmers compete at Nakoma Pool over weekend

MADISON, Wis. — Organizers said Madison’s 53rd All-City Swim Meet this weekend will go down in the record books.

Swimmers at this year’s event broke several city records, but going beyond that it proved to the community why Madison is ranked seventh in the nation as one of the best swimming cities.

“We try to make it fun. We know if we make it fun then they are going to swim fast and they will swim even better, and that keeps kids swimming year after year after year, and that’s the goal of all-city,” said Sam Jekel, Seminole swim coach.

Jekel and his team of coaches from Seminole Swim Team swam in the All-City Swim Meet when they were growing up, and are now coaching their students in the competition. It’s a sense of accomplishment Jekel said is overwhelming.

“This is the best we have done ever I’m pretty sure, and I’m so proud of our swimmers so far,” Jekel said.

The 53-year-old tradition that has been passed on for generations in Madison’s swimming community is one that has continued to grow throughout the years.

“I think Madisonians have always known it was a huge tradition and just to now know that we are the seventh largest, the seventh ranked state, it solidifies it for us,” All-City Swim Co-Chair Maria Stacey said.

With nearly 2,000 swimmers competing, the event is said to be one of the largest open-air meets in the United States, and one that continues to break records.

“Twenty-eight records, all pool records were broken yesterday, and 10 all-city records were broken yesterday, and many many more today,” All-City Swim Co-Chair Stacey Nemeth said.

The three-day meet held at Nakoma Pool broke 50 of the pool’s records and 21 all-city records.

Organizers said several records were broken more than twice during this year’s meet.