The second day of the 2026 Eastern Interscholastic Swimming & Diving Championships saw Bermuda’s presence in the pool grow even stronger, as the Warwick Academy contingent and a standout individual performer from Mercersburg Academy locked in several high-profile final qualifications at the Kunkel Aquatic Center.
Building on a successful opening day, Warwick Academy demonstrated the depth of their programme by securing a further two relay final appearances. The women's 400 Yard Freestyle Relay team, comprised of Jorgia White, Allison Steynor, Elena Bortoli, and Elanna Fulton, delivered a composed performance to touch the wall in 4:02.12. This effort was enough to secure the 20th qualifying spot, ensuring another appearance in the evening finals for the Bermudian school.
The men’s relay squad mirrored that success in their own 400 Yard Freestyle Relay heat. The quartet of Axel Wernbo, Noah Fulton, Jamie MacFarlane, and Logan Jones produced a sharp time of 3:24.87 to qualify in 19th position overall. The result marks a perfect sweep of relay final qualifications for the team across the first two days of competition in Pennsylvania.
In addition to the team success, there was significant individual news as another Bermudian athlete made waves representing Mercersburg Academy. Gabby Cechini produced a stellar swim in the Women’s 500 Yard Freestyle, clocking a time of 5:13.62 to qualify in 13th place. Her performance was a highlight of the session, positioning her strongly for the championship finals later tonight.
Individually for Warwick Academy, Logan Jones led the charge in the Men's 100 Yard Freestyle, finishing 25th in a massive field with a time of 48.39 seconds, while teammate Zachary Johnson also competed in the same discipline. In the women’s equivalent, Elanna Fulton finished 39th overall, ahead of Elena Bortoli.
The distance events provided further tests of endurance, with Jorgia White finishing 26th in the Women’s 500 Yard Freestyle, followed by Sofia Leclerc. For the men, Noah Fulton and Jacob Leclerc battled through the same grueling event to finish 52nd and 53rd respectively.
Across the backstroke events, Allison Steynor finished 53rd for the women, while Cameron Duda secured 58th in the men's race. Jamie MacFarlane added to the team's busy schedule by representing the school in the 100 Yard Breaststroke.
With the relay teams preparing for their second swims and Gabby Cechini eyeing a podium push in the 500 freestyle, Bermuda remains firmly established among the elite scholastic programmes at this year’s championships.
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