National Age Record Bonanza During Night Two of USA Swimming Junior Nationals

GREENSBORO, North Carolina, December 13. THIS evening was one for the record books as a truckload of U.S. National Age Group records fell at the USA Swimming Winter Nationals.

Last night, SwimMAC’s age group girls proved to be too strong in the 400-yard medley relay with a 1-2 effort at the USA Swimming Winter Junior Nationals. Tonight, SwimMAC went a step further by taking down the 15-18 U.S. National Age Group record in the 200-yard medley relay.

SwimMAC’s Kathleen Baker (24.42), Maija Roses (28.08), Alyssa Marsh (23.93) and Lauren Rhodes (22.84) smashed the meet record with a 1:39.27. That swim beat SwimMAC’s time of 1:40.82 from last year, but more importantly dashed the Rachel Bootsma-led Aquajets 2010 National Age Group record from the record books. The Aquajets’ Bootsma, Abby Duncan, Hailey Szews and Tess Behrens had owned the mark with a 1:39.40.

Academy Bullets’ Natalie McGovern, Alexis Preski, Mary Schneider and Avery Braunecker took second in 1:40.73, while SwimMAC’s B squad of Heather Merritt, Caitlin Casazza, Elsa Welshofer and Jessica Merritt earned third in 1:40.78.

Bolles’ followed with a victory in the men’s 200-yard medley relay as Caeleb Dressel shook off an emergency room visit to help clear his lungs by swimming the butterfly leg for the squad. Josh Booth (22.82), Rio Kurihara (25.99), Dressel (20.35), and William McKinney (20.48) clipped Palo Alto in the finale with a 1:29.64. PASA’s Joe Molinari, Curtis Ogren, Andrew Liang and Albert Gwo took second in 1:29.71, while Scottsdale’s Ryan Hoffer, Jack Blake, Joseph Starkweather and Nicholas Magana placed third in 1:30.15.

In the first individual swims of the night, SoCal’s Ella Eastin smashed the meet record in the women’s 400-yard IM with a blistering 4:05.25. That swim cut four seconds off the record previously shared by Eastin and Tanja Kylliainen at 4:09.66 from 2012 and 2010, respectively. Mount Pleasant’s Megan Kingsley turned in a second-place 4:10.90, while Ozaukee’s Katherine Drabot snared third in 4:11.85.

In another fun battle of future NCAA stars, PASA’s Curtis Ogren clinched the men’s 400-yard IM title in 3:44.26. That effort clipped his previous meet record of 3:44.87 from a year ago. Dynamo’s Jay Litherland put up a second-place 3:45.20, while Baylor’s Sam McHugh snared third in 3:47.08.

Mantas’ Danielle Nack chopped half-a-second off the meet record in the women’s 100 fly with a 52.44. That swim beat the 52.93 set by Kelly Naze of the DU Hilltoppers in 2011. Kingfish’s Madison Wright raced to second in 53.14, while JCC Waves’ Lindsey Engel took third in 53.16.

Michael Andrew, the 14-year-old professional swimmer who has drawn some attention for signing a sponsorship deal before he can even legally drive, dropped his 13-14 U.S. National Age Group record in the 100-yard fly even more.

After lowering his record of 48.78 with a 48.40 this morning, Andrew took second to Kyle Gornay (47.01) in finals of the USA Swimming Winter Junior Nationals with a sizzling 47.47. That cut nearly a second off his newly-minted mark. Overall, Andrew has seven entries in the short course yard national age group books with Reece Whitley taking away one tonight. Upper St. Clair’s Ryan Dudzinski touched third in 47.52.

Ozaukee’s Katherine Drabot touched out Carmel’s Clair Adams in the women’s 200-yard free, 1:45.49 to 1:45.55 for the win. Both times just off Lindsey McKnight’s meet record of 1:45.37 from 2011. Mobile’s Paige Madden, meanwhile, tracked down third in 1:46.05.

Trojan’s Dylan Carter followed with a ridiculously fast 1:33.67 in the men’s 200-yard free. That swim beat his morning meet record of 1:34.47 that crushed his 2012 standard of 1:35.29 swimming for then the Davie Nadadores. Palm Harbor’s Tristan Sanders took second in 1:37.81, while Duneland’s Blake Pieroni claimed third in 1:38.11.

Well, that didn’t take long. Atlantis’ Lindsey Horejsi downed the hallowed 15-16 U.S. National Age Group record of Megan Quann (now Jendrick) in the 100-yard breast during prelims of the USA Swimming Winter Junior Nationals, and Newburgh’s Lillia King went right over the top in finals.

Horejsi clocked a 59.75 this morning to beat Quann’s previous 2000 record of 59.80 that stood since these girls were three years old. Tonight, King dropped a quick 59.67 to take the record into another stratosphere. She split it 27.69, 31.98. Horejsi took second in 1:00.21, as she couldn’t duplicate her earlier effort, while Walnut Creek’s Heidi Poppe took third in 1:00.64.

As explained earlier today, the women’s breaststroke is going through a revolution this year with records falling everywhere. This is just the latest in an evolution of the women’s breaststroke that began last summer when Rebecca Soni started breaking some serious barriers before taking an extended break. That revolution pushed on this summer with Yuliya Efimova, Ruta Meilutyte and Rikke Moeller Pedersen all taking part in rewriting all of the long course meter record books, as well as the 50 and 100 in short course meters. Efimova completed the clean sweep today with a world record in the 200 breast at the European Short Course Championships.

Curtis Ogren doubled up tonight with a 54.51 to win the men’s 100-yard breast. He already took home the 400 IM earlier this evening, and now has three wins after his epic 200 IM win last night. He just touched out Pine Crest’s Jordy Groters, who took second in 54.58. Tide’s Austin Temple finished third overall in 54.63.

Michael Andrew must have been paying attention to Swimming World’s Twitter feed while at USA Swimming Winter Junior Nationals, because literally just minutes after Reece Whitley took his 13-14 U.S. National Age Group record in the 100-yard breast at the Speedo Tom Dolan Invite, Andrew took it back in Greensboro.

Whitley, unofficially, clocked a 55.62 in the 13-14 final this evening. That effort topped Michael Andrew’s record of 55.96 set earlier this year as a 14-year-old professional swimmer. Whitley already took aim on the 11-12 age group marks, still holding the 100 (59.90) and 200 (2:09.40) from last year’s national age group onslaught.

Andrew, however, returned immediate fire in the C final of the 100-yard breast at Juniors with a ridiculous time of 55.43. So, in just a few minutes, that event progressed by half-a-second and returned Andrew to eight total National Age Group records in short course yards.

AquaKids’ Clara Smiddy became the first swimmer at Juniors to clear 52 seconds in the women’s 100-yard backstroke as she won in 51.75 to break Courtney Bartholomew’s 2009 record of 52.22. That’s great company to be in considering Bartholomew just popped a 50-point for Virginia last month collegiately. Byron Center’s Taylor Garcia took second in 52.07, also under the previous mark, while PASA’s Ally Howe wound up third in 52.79.

Palm Harbor’s Tristan Sanders moved from second to first with a win in the 100 back as he clocked a 46.80. Carter, who just won the 200 free, took second in 47.05. Upper St. Clair’s Ryan Dudzinski captured third in 47.46.

He might not be winning titles, but he’s certainly turning some heads at the USA Swimming Winter Junior Nationals as 14-year-old professional swimmer Michael Andrew just notched his third national age group record of the night.

Swimming in the B final of the men’s 100-yard back, Andrew clocked a time of 48.68. That performance moved his total NAG tally to nine as he broke Thomas Anderson’s 48.73 in the 13-14 U.S. National Age Group record books set earlier this year. Anderson, now 15, won the B final with a 47.61.

That’s an amazing night for the teen who turned down a collegiate swimming career to sign an endorsement deal with a supplement company.

Patriot Aquatic Club took down the meet record in the 800 free relay. Erin Falconer, Julia Wawer, Cheryl Xiang, and Reilly Lanigan clocked 7:16.71, beating the mark of 7:18.56 that Santa Clara set in 2012. This year’s Santa Clara squad placed second in 7:18.96, and Carmel picked up third in 7:19.49.

Dynamo’s Jay Litherland (1:38.18), Kevin Litherland (1:37.85), Gunnar Bentz (1:39.05) and Mick Litherland (1:39.90) won the men’s 800 free relay in a 6:34.98, squashing Bolles’ meet record of 6:36.59. East Carolina took second in 6:38.45, while Bolles wound up third in 6:40.29.

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