De’Quan Dwyer of New Iberia Aquatics qualified for the state swim meet with his efforst at the district long course meet this past weekend.  - Submitted

Brandy Milliman and De’Quan Dwyer of New Iberia Aquatics qualified for the state swim meet with their efforts at the Long Course District Championship at Crawfish Aquatics in Baton Rouge this past Saturday and Sunday, NIA coaches reported.

At long course meets, swimmers compete in a 50-meter (or 50-yard) pool as opposed to the 25-meter (or yard) pool used in short course meets. 

In a long course competition the race is based more on the technique of the stroke rather than turns off the wall since the pool is twice as long as a short course pool. At this meet swimmers can qualify for the state meet by reaching a set time for each event or by winning the event.

Dwyer had to make a 46.06 seconds race in the 50 meter breaststroke to qualify for state by time and swam the event in 44.45 seconds, making him the first on the team to qualify for state with that much of an edge at his age. 

This is only Dwyer’s second year in competitive swimming, coaches said. Dwyer also placed first in the 100-meter breaststroke with a 1:40.30.

Milliman will be represent NIA at the state meet by taking first in five events in the 17 and over girls’ division. Milliman’s race times were 1:47.21 for the 100-meter backstroke, 3:43.32 for the 200-meter backstroke, 6:55.66 for the 400 meter freestyle, 3:12.73 for the 200 meter freestyle  and 3:44.23 for the 200 meter IM.

Avery Broussard took first place in the 50-meter backstroke with a 45.03 second race. Broussard also placed second in the 100-meter backstroke (1:47.62) and 100 meter breast stroke (2:01.20) and third in the 50-meter freestyle (39.20) and 100 meter freestyle (1:31.21).

Also taking awards for the team were Aeron Melancon in the 13-14 division and Alexis Trosclair in the 11-12 division. Melancon placed third in the 50-meter breast stroke (49.33) and eighth in the 200-meter breast stroke (3:50.17) and 200-meter freestyle (3:12.98). Trosclair placed fifth in the 50-meter breast stroke (47.95) and  eighth in the 200-meter freestyle (3:08.23) and 50-meter backstroke (43.46).

State meet for Milliman and Dwyer will be at the University of New Orleans lakefront arena swimming pool next Thursday thru Sunday.