EDWARDSVILLE - Montclaire Swim Club swimmer Jacob Grandone competed in his final meet for the Marlins in the Southwestern Illinois Swimming Association championship meet Sunday at the Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center at Edwardsville High School, and for the now-former Tiger swimmer, it couldn't have gone any better as the Marlins took the overall championship.
In an interview conducted immediately after one of his races, Grandone felt he swam well and did his best.
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"I think I did fairly well," he said. "I didn't have any personal records, but I had some decent times."
The most important thing is that Grandone and his teammates had fun, which is how most approach the summer swimming season.
"Yes, very much so," Grandone said. "I've had a good time, I've got great teammates and had fun throughout."
It was Grandone's final meet with the Marlins, as he'll go on to attending Bradley University in Peoria this fall, and only plans on club swimming, not on the interscholastic team for the Braves. Looking back at the 2022 season, Grandone does have fond memories of swimming for Montclaire.
Grandone was also a member of Edwardsville's highly-successful cross country and track teams and found the disciplines needed for both running and swimming are the same, yet also so very different as well.
"I'd say they complement each other," Grandone said. "But they're not exactly the same. Obviously, swimming's more upper body instead of the lower body. When you're running, it's quick, with lower body primary and upper body secondary."
