Local youth swimmers dive into competition at All-County Summer Swim meet in Brawley

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) - More than 200 young swimmers gathered at the Lions Center Pool in Brawley on Saturday for the All-County Summer Swim Meet. Marking the facility's first competitive event since its grand reopening in June.

Athletes ranging in age from 4 to 18 years old competed throughout the morning, representing teams from across Imperial County, including Brawley, Holtville and El Centro. Along with two swim clubs from Yuma.

The meet welcomed swimmers of all skill levels, giving participants the opportunity to compete for trophies while gaining valuable race experience during the summer season.

The event also celebrated the return of competitive swimming to the Lions Center Pool after several years of renovations. During the closure, local teams were forced to hold practices and meets at alternative locations, including Calipatria.

"The pool has been, you know, was on construction," Brawley Sunstrokers Swim Team Coach, Kim Manuel, said. "We were in Calipat. During those 4 years this pool was not available. But now we're back. This is our very first meet."

With the renovations complete, the Lions Center Pool is once again open to the public and will also serve as the home practice facility for the Brawley Union High School swim team. Organizers hope the reopening will help grow the sport and provide more opportunities for young swimmers throughout the region.