Sunday saw another full day of races at the Y State Swim Meet in Marshalltown. The YMCA bustled with swimmers chatting and preparing for their races along with supporters cheering them on.

This time it was the girls’ turn, with around 360 swimmers aged 5 to 21 taking to the water.

Competitors cheered on their teammates as they waited for their turn, and coaches yelled encouragements to the girls as they fought for first place.

The swim meet is also an exciting event for businesses in the community.

According to Gary Gimbel, owner and operator of Taco John’s in Marshalltown, the swim meet always brings many customers through the restaurant’s doors.

He said they usually see a 15 to 20 percent increase in sales during this weekend.

“We just appreciate the Y bringing the event,” he said. “It’s great for the community.”

Carol Hibbs, CEO of Marshalltown’s YMCA, echoed this sentiment. She said many spectators stay in town the entire weekend so that they can attend both the boys swim meet on Saturday and the girls meet on Sunday. This gives hotels, restaurants and other businesses in Marshalltown a rush of customers, which benefits the town’s economy.

“It’s a great event for the community,” Hibbs said.

The meet brings around 2,000 people to the Y every year. This year around 750 swimmers competed.

“This is our biggest weekend of the year,” Hibbs said. “It has gone very well thanks to the many volunteers who help us.”

For supporters who could not make the trip to Marshalltown, the Y live streamed the races on Youtube. Hibbs said many people across the country took advantage of this service.

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Contact Anna Shearer at 641-753-6611 or ashearer@timesrepublican.com