Junior National Championships: Gillian Ryan, Allie Szekely Close Out Meets With Fourth Victories; SwimMAC Carolina Claims Team Title

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, August 17. SWIMMAC Carolina claimed the team trophy, while standouts Gillian Ryan and Allie Szekely wrapped up their meets with their fourth individual victories as the Speedo Junior National Championships came to a close in Indianapolis.

North Baltimore's Gillian Ryan closed out a hugely successful meet by winning her fourth event tonight in dominating fashion. Ryan crushed the meet record in the women's 1500m free by almost 10 seconds and beat her nearest competitor by nearly 30, touching first in 16:14.67. Katie Ledecky, the 2012 Olympic champion in the 800m free, set the previous meet record of 16:24.46 last summer. Taylor Katz of the Sarasota YMCA Sharks came in a distant second in 16:43.61, while 12-year-old Isabella Rongione of The Fish rounded out the top three in 16:48.12, 25 seconds under her seed time.

Allie Szekely of the Central Bucks Swim Team matched Ryan's accomplishment, winning her fourth event of the week with a 2:15.98 in the women's 200m IM. Szekely also earned victories in the 100m and 200m breast and 400m IM. Allison Brown of the Pleasanton Seahawks wrapped up her meet with a second place finish (2:17.21). Ozaukee Aquatics' Katherine Drabot took third in 2:17.54.

Curl Burke's Andrew Seliskar swept the IM events, winning the men's 200m IM tonight in 2:03.39. Stephen Stumph of Orinda Aquatics picked up another top three finish with a 2:03.96 for second. Asphalt Green's Michael Domagala, last night's winner in the 200m free, rounded out the top three in 2:05.21.

North Baltimore's Cierra Runge, winner of the 100m free earlier in the meet, grabbed the sprint double with a 25.97 to win the 50m free this evening. Nora McCullaugh of SwimMAC Carolina was right behind in 26.04, while Iris Brand of the Pleasanton Seahawks squeezed into third with a 26.18 showing.

The men's splash and dash title went to Bolles School's Santo Condorelli, as he dipped under 23 with a 22.90. Condorelli won the 100m free earlier in the meet as well. Brett Ringgold of the North Texas Nadadores just missed breaking 23 with a 23.04 to take second. Connor Black of the Cats Aquatic Team rounded out the top three in 23.21.

In the men's 800m free, Mission Viejo's Janardana Burns stayed on the hip of the Dayton Raiders' Clifford Goertemiller for the first 500m before pulling away to claim victory in 8:07.80. Burns negative split the race, going out in 4:05.00 and coming home in 4:02.80. Goertemiller faded to second, finishing in 8:11.67. Swim Fort Lauderdale's Lance Rutkin rounded out the top three finishers in 8:16.94.

The women's and men's 400m medley relays closed out the final session. SwimMAC Carolina's foursome of Kathleen Baker, Alexandra Martelle, Elsa Welshofer and Nora McCullagh crushed the field with a 4:12.81. York YMCA (4:16.07) and North Baltimore (4:16.57) touched second and third.

On the men's side, the Terrapins' quartet of Brandon James, Christian Brown, Justin Lynch and Ryan Barsanti lowered the 2008 meet record set by Schroeder YMCA by a solid two seconds, completing the distance in 3:45.50. The previous mark stood at 3:47.75. SwimMAC Carolina finished just outside the old record in second (3:48.33), while the Cats Aquatic Team took third in 3:51.10.

SwimMAC Carolina claimed the team title with 360 points, ahead of North Baltimore (284) and the Pleasanton Seahawks (277). North Baltimore finished as the top women's team with 284 points, while the Dayton Raiders had the highest point total of all men's teams with 180.

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