Grant Koudelka is headed to Austin after winning the gold in the 500-yard freestyle swim in 4:50.32 at the Region VI meet in Magnolia Tuesday. Koudelka also qualified in the 200 freestyle.

The meet was originally schedule for Friday and Saturday but moved to Monday and Tuesday due to the inclement weather last week.

Koudelka did not “shave and taper” for the regionals but will do so for the state meet in Austin Feb, 17-18. To “shave and taper” means the athlete will shave off body hair to reduce drag and taper means to reduce the pre-meet workouts so he is at the peak of strength for the meet.

In the 200 freestyle, Koudelka came in third with a personal best of 1:45.42, four seconds slower than Matt Cox of Texarkana who won in 1:41. Cox had knocked five seconds off his district meet time and Koudelka four off his.

While first place swimmers automatically qualify for the state meet, the next eight swimmers are picked from those remaining with the best times. Koudelka will swim in both of his events in Austin.

Garrett Mayeaux, a sophomore from New Diana, swam the 100 freestyle in the consolation round in 54.32 and the 100 backstroke in 1:03.56.