Did You Make Your Zone’s New Top 20?

Photo Courtesy: USA Swimming

Each week, USA Swimming releases their top 20 zone times. Swimming World will provide a unique analysis of one specific zone each week and a general recap of the remaining zones. Here, you’ll find the zones’ strengths, top athletes, and top times.

USA Swimming Eastern Zone

Girls: Megan Lynch of the Greenwich YWCA Dolphins topped two more events – 800-meter free and 50-meter breast – in the Eastern Zone 11-year old girls division. She now holds the fastest time in the zone in seven events. Lynch and Joy Jiang cover over three quarters of the 11-year old leaderboard. It’s worth mentioning that the 11-year old girls in the Eastern Zone blow the other zones away in power points.

A slew of changes occurred at the top of the 12-year old girls division, where the Eastern Zone also reigns supreme. Caroline Bentz swam her way to the top of the 50-meter free with a 28.18, while Chase Travis now leads the zone in 100, 400, 800, and 1500-meter free along with the 200-meter back, 200-meter fly, and both IMs.

The only other change at the top of the Eastern Zone came in the girls 14-year old 200-meter breast, where Lara Bate busted out a 2:33.66 and achieved the 2016 Olympic Trial cut.

Boys: Brock Mozoki of South Shore YMCA and Alex Lakatta of North Baltimore swam their way to the top of the 11-year old boys’ leaderboard this past weekend. Mozoki is now the fastest in the zone in 100 and 200-meter free while Lakatta conquered the 400-meter free, 200-meter back and both IMs.

Aaron Zhu posted zone bests for 12-year old boys in the 200-meter breast and 400-meter IM, while Jake Johnson, 15, busted out a 56.23 to be first in his age group’s 100-meter fly.

USA Swimming Central Zone

Girls: Amongst the 11-year old girls, Ella Glapsie was the only newcomer to the top of the Central Zone. She now is the fastest in the zone in the 800-meter free and 200-meter back.

Haley Pike gutted out an 18:21.18 to have the fastest 1500-meter free amongst the 13-year old girls.

The Central Zone women have seen a steady rise in power points from the first week the zone rankings were calculated. In fact, the Central has improved nearly 17,000 power points since June 3, the most of any zone.

Boys: Andrew Dai put forth the top 12-year old times in the 50 and 200-meter fly, swimming a 29.35 and 2:26.20 in the events. Kyle Adams of Munster Swim Club zoomed his way to the top of the 13-year old boys 100-meter breast.

Jack Dolan was the only other change atop the Central Zone. His 24.98 50-meter free is now first in the zone for the 15-year old boys.

In the Central Zone, and truly across all age groups, it’s tougher for 15-and-overs to eclipse these top times in season. As championships draw nearer, however, expect a handful of these times to fall.

USA Swimming Southern Zone

Girls: There was plenty of shuffling at the top of the Southern Zone’s 11-year old girls age group. Charlotte Hook (50-meter back), Margaret Marby (100 and 200-meter back), Lindsey Hosch (100 and 200-meter breast), and Sophia Todd (50, 100, and 200-meter fly) all raised the bar in the Central Zone.

Carter Carter, 14, popped off a 2:16.37 200-meter fly to lead the Southern Zone, while Vien Nguyen took the 100 through 800-meter free and 200-meter breast in the 18-year old age group.

The South continues to have solid depth in nearly every age group, particularly amongst the 14 and 15-year old girls.

Boys: Ian Belflower of Fort Worth Area Swim Team clocked a 2:32.40 to add his name to the top of the 11-year old boys age group, while David Oderinde posted a 58.84 in the 12-year old boys’ 100-meter free to take first in the zone.

Kevin Repice (400-meter free), Bryce Ford (100-meter breast), and Tyler Johns (200-meter fly) all swam zone-best times at last weekend’s Bill Nixon Memorial Pro-Am for the 13-year old boys. Jack LeVant also swam the zone’s fastest 50-meter free at the meet for 15-year old boys, finishing in 24.37.

Lakeside Swim Team teammates Hunter Tapp and Aldan Johnston popped off zone-best 14-year old boys’ 50 and 100-meter frees, respectively.

Overall, the Southern Zone boys only trail the Eastern Zone by a narrow margin (less than 400 power points). It continues to be a tight battle between the Eastern, Western, and Southern regions for zone supremacy.

USA Swimming Western Zone

Girls: Ana Jih-Schiff was the lone change atop the 11-year old girls age group in the Western Zone with her zone-best 2:55.86 200-meter breast. Janelle Rudolph of PRO Swimming sprinted her way to the top of the 12-year old girls in the 50 and 100-meter free.

Brooke Schaffer followed suit for the 13-year old girls, swimming zone-best 26.88 50-meter free and 59.59 100-meter free. Chloe Clark, 13, is now the west’s queen of the 400-IM, sitting at 5:10.73.

The only other change came from Gianni Pitto from Lodi City Swim Club, whose 1:13.46 100-meter breast is best in the west for 14-year old girls.

On the national landscape, however, the Western Zone has the strongest 17-year old girls division in the nation.

Boys: Jaewoo Kim just missed cracking the 10-minute mark in the 800-meter free, but his 10:01.68 was enough to become the zone’s fastest 11-year old boy in the event.

Winn Aung took down six top times in the Western Zone, including his National Age Group record-setting swims in the 100-meter fly and 200-meter free. Etahn Lewczyk (100-meter back) and Luca Urlando (200-meter fly) added their names to the top of the 13-year old boys list.

Alex Liang, 15, and Bryce Mefford, 16, were the rare 15-and-overs to top their age groups this early in the season. Liang’s 24.62 50-meter free and Mefford’s 2:08.46 200-meter IM were fast enough, however, to raise the bar in the west.

LINKS

Eastern Zone Top Times

Central Zone Top Times

Southern Zone Top Times

Western Zone Top Times

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