SwimMAC Closes Nashville Sectionals With Second NAG Record, Event Domination

Editorial coverage sponsored by SpeedoUSA

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 17. SWIMMAC Carolina, the reigning long course and short course junior national team champions, put on a show in the final night of competition at the Speedo East Section Southern Zone Sectionals with another national age group relay record by the same four that dipped under their own national age group record in the 400-yard freestyle relay on Saturday night.

Jack Manchester, Michael Chadwick, Matthew Josa and Kyle Darmody swam a 3:13.70 to wipe out the 3:16.76 they swam at the 2012 winter junior nationals — and the 3:15.03 Nation's Capital dropped yesterday at the NCSA junior nationals in Orlando. Each of the SwimMAC swimmers except for Josa swam faster today than they did at the winter nationals further east in Knoxville, with Darmody providing the biggest drop.

2012 splits:
Manchester 48.90
Chadwick 56.38
Josa 46.89
Darmody 44.59

2013 splits:
Manchester 48.44
Chadwick 55.49
Josa 47.31
Darmody 42.46

Darmody, Manchester and Josa each won individual events tonight before stepping up for their medley relay record chase. Darmody was first in the men's 100 freestyle with a 43.95, approaching his lifetime best of 43.81 from winter junior nationals. Chadwick was a close second with a 44.57 and Marietta Marlins' Connor Oslin took third with a 46.05.

Manchester took the men's 200 backstroke with a 1:43.87, beating his lifetime best of 1:44.84 from junior nationals. Darmody tried to make it two wins on the night with a strong first 100 yards but fell off the pace and finished second with a 1:46.37. Duke's Koya Osada was third in 1:47.43.

Josa won the men's 200 IM with a 1:47.61, just dipping under his lifetime best of 1:47.88 from March 2012. Osada put together a solid four legs to place second in 1:49.97, his first time under 1:50. Hayes McCullagh placed third with a 1:51.24.

In the other men's event of the day, Jimmy Yoder of Stingrays won the 1650 freestyle in 15:21.44, just beating his personal best of 15:22.00 from January 2011. Dirk Bell of LTP placed second with a 15:35.09, while Andrew Faciszewski was third with a 15:38.76.

Hayes McCullagh's sister Nora won the women's 100 free with the only sub-50 second swim of the day: 49.51. Rebecca Postall of Stingrays nearly got under the barrier with a runner-up time of 50.17, while Alexi Smith was third with a 51.35. McCullagh would return to win the women's 200 IM with a 2:01.02 to lead a SwimMAC-Carolina podium sweep, ahead of Alexa Martelle (2:02.69) and Caitlin Casazza (2:03.65).

Stephanie Peters made it a sweep of the distance events with a win in the 1650 freestyle in 16:17.23, well ahead of Danielle Liu's 16:54.21. Lauren Oglesby was third with a 16:54.45.

Kathleen Baker won the women's 200 backstroke with a 1:54.30, beating her personal best of 1:54.31 from the 2012 winter junior nationals by the slimmest of margins. Hannah Magnuson was well back in second with a 1:58.41 and Sydney Sell was third in 1:59.77.

SwimMAC swept the top two spots in the women's 400 medley with the A team touching with a 3:39.76, not too far off the 15-18 national age group record held by the Rachel Bootsma-led Aquajets with a 3:38.56. The SwimMAC B team was second with a 3:47.31 and Stingrays completed the podium with a 3:48.38.

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