Local athletes make a splash at Junior Olympics in Dallas
Alex Torres proudly shows off his gold medal and trophy with Jacksonville Water Polo Club Coach John Paul Mujica.
Jacksonville junior athletes brought home gold and silver for the Jacksonville Water Polo Club in the recent USA Water Polo Junior Olympics in Dallas.
Four local athletes competed in various divisions. Seventh grader Alex Torres, from Landon Middle School, and sixth grader John Erdal, from Bolles, took home the gold in the final game with an 11-6 score against Team Orlando.
Fellow athletes Nina Pell and Mikhail Terekov competed in the 12U and 16U divisions for the Next Level Water Polo Club, respectively. Pell’s team took home the silver in the Gold Division. Terekov’s team finished 15th in its division against stiff competition and walked away with invaluable experience.
Episcopal High School senior Sawyer Weakland participated
Episcopal High School senior Sawyer Weakland participated on the Orlando United Team in California. Weakland also traveled to Paris, France, where she had the opportunity to attend the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics.
“It was an amazing experience to be able to watch the gold medal game in Paris,” she said. “I’m excited that the games will be coming to LA in 2028 and hope to be there to pull for Team USA.”
Jacksonville Water Polo Club athletes are preparing for their fall season with a September scrimmage in Gainesville and three youth tournaments in Florida, including the Halloween Invite in Orlando, the Battle of the Bay in Clearwater and the Beast of the East in Clermont.
