USA Swimming Junior Nationals: Carmel’s Meet, NAG Record Highlights Night Two

Editorial coverage for U.S. Junior Nationals proudly sponsored by Q Swimwear!

IRVINE, California, July 31. CARMEL’s sprint corps truly owned the night as the squad from Indiana blasted the meet record in the women’s 400-meter free relay and the 15-18 national age group record as well at the USA Swimming Junior Nationals.

Scheduled Events

Women’s 200 Back
Men’s 200 Back
Women’s 100 Free
Men’s 100 Free
Women’s 400 IM
Men’s 400 IM
Women’s 400 free relay
Men’s 400 free relay

LIVE STREAM

LIVE RESULTS

Women’s 200 back

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Central Buck’s Allie Szekely went out hard, and held on for the win with a time of 2:11.29.  That’s a full second drop off her best time of 2:12.39 from this morning as the 16-year-old put up the ninth-fastest time ever in her age group.  Carmel’s Claire Adams, who is taking on a difficult double with a 100 free swim in a few minutes, took second in 2:12.02. That’s a huge drop for her as she posted a best 2:13.45 this morning during prelims.  She came in today with a 2:15.42 as her best.  Grace Ariola of the Waves of Bloomington rounded out the top three in 2:12.69.

Hopkins Mariner Erin Earley took fourth in 2:12.92 with Y-Sparta’s Danielle Galyer clocking a 2:12.96 to close out the 2:12s for the A final.  CyFair’s Cameron McHugh (2:13.29), Spokane Waves’ Emma Schanz (2:13.71) and Lakeside’s Sydney Sell also vied for the junior national title.

PASA’s Ally Howe topped the B final in the event with a personal-best effort of 2:12.98 as she broke the 2:13 barrier for the first time.  That performance beat her previous best of 2:13.10 from last summer’s junior nationals.  Gabby Deloof turned in a second-place 2:15.06 as she edged BCH’s Abby Richter (2:15.29) for second in the consolation heat.

Scottsdale’s Taylor Ruck had an amazing swim in the C final with a time of 2:13.05. The 14-year-old turned about the same time as Lakeside’s Asia Seidt at the 150-meter mark, then turned on the afterburners down the stretch to beat Seidt’s 2:15.05. Entering today, Ruck had a personal best of 2:19.24, and dropped six seconds in sum after a 2:17 in prelims. That’s a HUGE move. Lexy Aitchison of Clearwater took third.

Men’s 200 back

Photo Courtesy: Kristin Karkoska

Photo Courtesy: Kristin Karkoska

Badger’s Patrick Conaton led a trio of swimmers in the 1:59 range as he broke 2:00 for the first time with a title-winning effort of 1:59.67.  His time this morning of 2:00.50 had downed his previous best of 2:02.18, so that is nearly a three second drop today.  Tualatin’s Patrick Mulcare picked up second-place honors in 1:59.78, under his best of 2:01.61, while Dynamo’s Michael Taylor earned third in 1:59.90.

FAST’s Joey Reilman (2:01.57), Aquazot’s Corey Okubo (2:01.91), Sarasota Y’s Austin Katz (2:02.45), Aquazot’s Thomas Smith (2:02.80) and SwimMAC’s Nathan Murray (2:04.02) also competed in the finale.

Aquazot’s Daniel Tran clocked a big personal best to win the B final heat in 2:02.04.  That’s down from his 2:03.21 set this morning during prelims.  Dayton Raider Brock Turner picked up second-place in the consolation heat with a 2:02.55, while NOVA’s Wade O’Brien also cleared 2:03 with a third-place 2:02.92.

Joe Young of Southeastern took the bonus final in 2:03.05. After coming into today with a 2:07.52 personal best, he nearly cleared the 2:03 barrier as he put up some serious times today.  Sarasota Y’s Matt O’Donnell finished second in 2:03.90 with Dayton Raider Henrik Pohlmann placing third in 2:03.91.

Women’s 100 free

Photo Courtesy: David Farr

Photo Courtesy: David Farr

She had to track down Roadrunner’s Stanzi Moseley to do it, but Carmel’s Amy Bilquist led a Carmel Crush in the 100-meter free with a personal best 54.85.  That clipped the 54.88 she set this morning.  Moseley, meanwhile, took second in 55.04 to just miss her 55.03 best from prelims.  Veronica Burchill took third for Carmel in 55.89, while Claire Adams finished eighth for the Carmel squad in 57.14.

Y-Sparta’s Katrina Konopka (56.00), Greensboro’s Natalie Labonge (56.27), City of Mobile’s Paige Madden (56.43) and Saint Andrew’s Megan Moroney (56.74) also put up swims in the finale.

After winning the 200 back C final in a lifetime best, Scottsdale’s Taylor Ruck remained on fire with a personal-best 55.79 to win the B final.  Entering today, she held a 56.94 best and chopped more than a second off that time.  Lakeside’s Lauren Pitzer clipped Pleasanton’s Erika Brown, 56.23 to 56.24, for second in the consolation heat.

All Star’s Carolina McTaggart charted a 56.44 to win the C final tonight.  That’s a personal best after a two-year wait, as she previously posted a 56.63 at the 2012 NCSA Junior Nationals.  PASA’s Leah Goldman finished second in the bonus final with a 56.90, while Lake Erie’s Lauren Heller placed third in 57.06.

Men’s 100 free

Towley Haas wins the 400 freestyle.

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

NOVA’s Townley Haas, the 500-yard freestyle record holder in the 15-16 national age group record, showed some versatility with a junior national title in the 100-meter free tonight with a 50.12 after clocking a 50.62 last year.

Five swimmers all cleared 51 seconds in the championship heat with Pleasanton’s Maxime Rooney (50.60), Dynamo’s Knox Auerbach (50.62), AGUA’s Michael Domagala (50.72) and Michigan Lakeshore’s Tabahn Afrik (50.97) all putting up 50-points tonight.  Upper Dublin’s Michael Jensen (51.22), Machine’s James Murphy (51.40) and Bolles’ Tyler Rice (51.73) comprised the rest of the podium tonight in Irvine.

Nitro’s Tate Jackson broke 51 seconds for the first time with a 50.72 to win the B final.  That lowered the 51.37 he posted this morning in prelims as his new lifetime best.  Phoenix Swim Club’s Ryan McCoy took second in 51.20 with Saint Andrew’s Gage Kohner taking third in 51.29.

Canyons’ Cole Cogswell hit the wall in 51.14 for the C final win, beating his lifetime best of 51.54 from prelims.  Indiana University’s Max Irwin placed half-a-second back with a 51.54, while Central Bucks’ Greg Brocato snared third in the bonus heat with a 51.61.

Women’s 400 IM

Photo Courtesy: Azaria Basile

Photo Courtesy: Azaria Basile

Bellevue’s Kim Williams dominated the championship heat and she looked in pain after the swim with a 4:43.18.  Prior to today, her best had been a 4:48.01 from two years ago, so that represents a pretty strong time drop this evening.  Y-Sparta’s Savanna Faulconer tracked down silver in 4:45.89, down from her best of 4:47.19 from this morning.  Lakeside’s Leah Stevens put up a 4:46.64 to win bronze in the finale.

North Carolina’s Madison Homovich (4:49.83), Aberdeen’s Hannah Kastigar (4:50.13), FAST’s Lauren Edelman (4:50.37), Redlands’ Sonia Wang (4:50.73) and Tampa Bay’s Christin Rockway (4:52.28) put up the rest of the swims in the championship heat.

Iowa Flyer Ruby Martin lived up to her team’s name as she flew down the final 50 meters to overtake Rays’ Sydney Lofquist, 4:50.38 to 4:50.54, for the B final win.  Entering today, her best had been a 4:52.85, while Lofquist held a 4:51.28 personal record.  Crown Point’s Hannah Kukurugya pulled off a third-place swim with a 4:51.45.

Rays’ Zoe Thatcher won the C final of the distance medley by more than a second with a 4:48.77.  That swim demolished her lifetime best of 4:55.70 from prelims today, and would have placed her fourth in the A final.  In fact, she entered the day with a 4:59.03 lifetime best in the event, so she dropped double digits in just one day.  Davis Arden’s Chenoa Devine took second in 4:50.50 with Gator’s Hannah Burns placing third in 4:51.43.

Men’s 400 IM

Photo Courtesy: Catherine Ladd

Photo Courtesy: Catherine Ladd

He couldn’t replicate his top time of 4:17.79 from last year’s juniors, but PASA’s Curtis Ogren had more than enough with a 4:18.02 to win the men’s championship finale.  He’s likely keeping some of his powder dry for senior nationals next week here in Irvine.  Cascade’s Abrahm Devine clinched second-place honors with a time of 4:20.39, while Wilton Y’s Ian Rainey finished third in 4:20.72.  CyFair’s Austin Van Overdam nearly made the top three, settling for fourth in 4:20.90.

Aquazot’s Alex Peterson (4:24.33), PACK’s Ben Walker (4:26.32), Tualatin’s Patrick Mulcare (4:27.44) and SwimAtlanta’s Tom Peribonio (4:27.46) also battled in the A final.

Arizona Gold packed a wallop in the B final as Mark Jurek (4:22.91) and Antonio Ramirez (4:24.84) went 1-2 in the consolation heat.  Jurek smashed his best of 4:24.95 from prelims, while Ramirez had a best of 4:26.66 from prelims before crushing that time tonight.  Crimson’s Anthony Marcantonio wound up third in the heat with a 4:25.90.

Dayton Raider Brock Turner had too much left down the stretch for SwimAtlanta’s Cody Bekemeyer as Turner won the C final tonight, 4:26.44 to 4:26.90.  Alex Lebed placed third in the bonus heat in 4:27.16.

Women’s 400 free relay

Carmel had quite the day as not only did it own the 100-meter free finale, it used that superior fire power to take down the meet record and the 15-18 U.S. National Age Group record in the 400 free relay. The squad downed the meet record with a 3:44.88. That smashed the previous record of 3:45.58 set by SwimMAC a year ago.  The team of Rachel Hayden (57.37), Veronica Burchill (56.06), Claire Adams (56.23) and Amy Bilquist (55.22) rocketed their way to the top time, as the time also broke the 15-18 U.S. National Age Group record of 3:45.50 set by the Colorado Stars with Missy Franklin in 2010.  No one else even came close tonight.  Read more on the national age group record, including the Colorado Stars splits and Franklin’s ridiculous anchor leg.

Palo Alto Stanford’s Jennifer Campbell (57.60), Leah Goldman (56.54), Sarah Kaunitz (57.76) and Ally Howe (56.59) took second in 3:48.49, while North Baltimore’s Mary Pelton (57.51), Easop Lee (56.80), Maddie Runge (58.96) and Heidi Miller (56.24) finished third in 3:49.51.

Bolles (3:50.43), Dynamo (3:50.58), SwimMAC (3:50.76), City of Mobile (3:50.97) and Scottsdale (3:51.18) rounded out the top eight in the timed final event.

Men’s 400 free relay

The Indiana University junior team of Ian Finnerty (51.32), Max Irwin (50.52), Brandon Colonis (53.23) and Blake Pieroni (49.55) managed to take down the meet record with a 3:24.62 out of heat one.  That swim beat the 3:26.15 set by Alamo Area in 2011 by a long-shot. Tennessee Aquatics’ Will Arthur (52.65), Joshua Romany (52.06), Walker Higgins (50.57) and John Myhre (52.13) finished atop the second heat in 3:27.41 for second in the event tonight.  SwimAtlanta’s Powell Brooks (52.00), Alex Taylor (52.28), Jordan Ross (51.80) and Tom Peribonio (51.82) placed third in 3:27.90.

Palo Alto Standford (3:29.17), Upper Dublin (3:29.18), Nitro (3:29.24), Bolles (3:29.37) and Canyons (3:29.77) claimed the rest of the top eight spots in the timed finale.

 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
liquidassets
liquidassets
9 years ago

Successful switch from breast to back for Szekely! Solid 2:11.29.

3
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x