3 Monmouth County lifeguards to compete at world championships

In just under 30 days, three lifeguards from Monmouth County will be competing on an international stage. They are headed to the 2026 Lifesaving World Championships in South Africa. News 12's Kimberly Buck is in Seagirt tonight. And Kim, you met up with these New Jersey teens, huh? Good evening, Kurt. Wow, it was amazing getting to meet with these folks who just started out enjoying a summer job to ending up training to compete on a world stage. It was so nice to meet with these two individuals right from Monmouth County who are prepared. Preparing to take the world stage in South Africa and not to mention they're also in school working full time and also compete in other sports. The U.S. Life Saving Association Youth National Team is set to compete at the 2026 World Championships in South Africa from November 29th through December 7th. Monmouth County Lifeguards Jackson Napolitano and Emily Sutle They will not only represent the United States, but also their hometown beaches, Dill Beach Patrol and Seagirt Beach. Two years ago, Sutle competed in Australia on a world stage and will return again this year. This past August, Napolitano traveled to Florida to compete in the 2026 United States Lifesaving Championships for the very first time. I've been training every week, multiple times a week, keeping people safe in the water and on the land. And I guess these competitions are really just a way to bring all the lifeguards together. I think we take working at the beach kind of seriously. We love to have fun and work hard, but I think we enjoy competing and we enjoy going to local tournaments. I think it was a great learning experience. I didn't think I would be selected again, so I'm very grateful to be able to go again. It's just fantastic. And Emily and Jackson are among three Monmouth County lifeguards that are going to compete in South Africa from November through December. And they're also joined by some of their teammates who are from California, Delaware and Jones Beach. Be sure to stay tuned for the full story tonight. In Seagirt, Kimberly Buck, News 12, New Jersey.