Nine gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal were brought back to Homestead from the Florida Special Olympics State Aquatic Championship. A team of six students from Homestead Senior High made the City proud as they competed against 320 contestants from all over the state of Florida at the October 6-7 championship.
“It is with great honor that I commend these athletes,” said Mayor Steven C. Bateman who attended the championship and honored the students at the October Homestead City Council meeting. “Today I honor you not only as a proud father, but also as a proud Mayor and a proud Homestead citizen. You all worked so hard from the first stroke to the last, and did an incredible job in representing us.”
Mayor Bateman’s son, Austin Bateman, won three gold medals in the championship in the categories of 25 meter freestyle, and 25 meter backstroke. He was also in the gold winning 4 by 25 Freestyle Relay team with David Urrea, Martin Lozano and Alain Figueroa, who anchored that team and made up the difference of about four body lengths to win it in the end. Alain also won gold in the 50 meter freestyle and the 25 meter backstroke. Martin Lozano also won silver in the 25 meter backstroke, and Johnovan Moore won a bronze medal in the 25 meter backstroke. Micheline Davila won two gold medals, one in the 25 meter backstroke and one in the 25 meter freestyle.
