HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) — A couple of lifeguards on Hilton Head are getting national recognition. On Wednesday a group is heading to Virginia Beach to showcase their talents in a national competition.

“You’re standing next to two of the best swimmers on the east coast,” said Mike Wagner, with the Shore Beach Service. Wagner is talking about Jan Hanzal and Leonardo Trevisan.

The pair will represent Hilton Head in the National Lifeguard Championship.

Jan said he hasn’t lost while representing Hilton Head and hopes at nationals, he can stay far ahead of all the other swimmers.

“I’m pretty excited, you know, for both regional and local competition, what we do here in Hilton Head, I’ve actually never been beaten in one of the events so I want to keep it that way,” Hanzal said. “I don’t want to get used to the feeling of being a loser. So yeah, let’s see the new competition.”

However, they didn’t grow up swimming in the Lowcountry. Leonardo came to the States from Brazil and Jan from the Czech Republic – to spend their summer as lifeguards.

They said watching beachgoers from the lifeguard stand has helped them become even better swimmers.

“Definitely my vision and how you scan the water is something you really get good at,” Trevisan said. “Because when you’re sitting on the chair every day like six times a week. You get actually really good in like vision and surface, especially when you’re swimming you can see the buoys better.”

Their coach said Leonardo and Jan’s elite swimming skills let beachgoers know they’re in good hands.

“I think they know that not only just here with these two but all up and down the beach we have extremely qualified people to watch them,” Wagner said.