Andrew Fields, Adam Eckstein and Ann Elizabeth Farthing didn’t bring home any medals from the biggest swim meet of their young lives.

That was just fine by them.

The trio of Vicksburg Swim Association members shaved seconds off their personal best times and held their own against dozens of the best swimmers from eight states at the USA Swimming Eastern Zone Southern Sectional meet earlier this month. Their success, and the fun they had doing it, made the trip to Atlanta worthwhile.

“I’m extremely proud of them,” VSA coach Mathew Mixon said. “We had missed a couple of practices because of the weather, so for them to step up to that occasion they represented us well. Not to let the nerves get to them, that was good.”

All three swimmers definitely shook off the nerves — once they got into the pool. Before their races, they said they were a nervous wreck.

The meet was held at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, which hosted all of the swimming and diving competitions for the 1996 Olympics. The size of the 1,900-seat natatorium, as well as the realization that they were going against the best of the best, hit all of them at one time or another.

“We got behind the blocks and I thought, ‘Oh wow, this is actually happening,’” Fields said with a laugh. “I tried to think that it’s just another meet. It’s not just another meet.”

Once in the water, though, it was time to get down to business, and all three of the 12-year-old swimmers handled that end of it perfectly.

Fields dropped a whopping 1.5 seconds off his best time in the 50-yard breaststroke, and also improved in the 100 breaststroke and 50 freestyle.

Farthing improved her times in four of the five events she swam — the 50 butterfly, 50 freestyle, 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke — while Eckstein dropped time in the 100 backstroke and 50 freestyle.

Eckstein didn’t even make a state meet qualifying time until early February. He said he was thrilled with how far he’d come in such a short time.

“I’m happy, because six weeks ago I wasn’t even a state qualifier and the turn of events to get here was exceptional,” Eckstein said. “We were seeded last, so we knew we probably weren’t going to get first. All three of us made one giant jump.”

The sectional meet marked the end of the winter swimming season, which will soon give way to the summer outdoor season. For the three VSA swimmers, however, it also marked a turning point in their progression.

Continuing to improve and getting back to the sectionals is now an achievable goal, they said, instead of just a dream that seems out of reach.

“I’ll be faster next year, so I’ll get the sectional (qualifying) times, but I’ll also have the experience and want to go back,” Eckstein said. “It was pretty fun.”