USA Swimming Junior Nationals: Carmel Dominates Women’s Sprint

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

IRVINE, California, July 31. PLENTY of fast swims occurred this morning, but the one storyline that might be the most impressive is the three A finalists for Carmel in the women’s 100-meter free at the USA Swimming Junior Nationals.  Amy Bilquist moved to third all time for 15-16 year olds in the event as Carmel surged in that event.

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

LIVE STREAM

LIVE RESULTS

Women’s 200 back

Central Buck’s Allie Szekely charged through heat 11 to post the top time of the morning in 2:12.39. That effort just clipped her lifetime best of 2:12.54 from earlier this month at the Middle Atlantic Senior States. Cypress Fairbank’s Cameron McHugh grabbed second in that 11th heat with a 2:13.30 to qualify second overall, while Carmel’s Claire Adams qualified third in 2:13.45 as part of that swift heat 11.

Y-Sparta’s Danielle Galyer had a career breakthrough out of heat 6 as she qualified fourth overall in 2:14.00. That’s an amazing swim considering her lifetime best had been a 2:17.72 from the 2011 U.S. Nationals. Her best time this year had been a 2:22 just a month ago at a local meet. It’s a rarity for someone out of that early of a heat to make it to the A final, but Galyer turned on the jets.

Hopkins Mariner Erin Earley checked in with a fifth-seeded time of 2:14.02, while Spokane Waves’ Emma Schanz picked up sixth in the finale with a 2:14.46. Lakeside’s Sydney Sell (2:15.01) and Waves of Bloomington’s Grace Ariola (2:15.14) earned the last two transfer spots into the championship heat.

Men’s 200 back

Dynamo’s Michael Taylor was the only swimmer able to clear the 2:00 barrier as he charged to a 1:59.37 to top qualifying. The 15-year-old will be looking to take down a more veteran heat as the rest of the championship heat is loaded with 17-18 year olds. Badger’s Patrick Conaton (2:00.50) and FAST’s Joey Reilman (2:00.73) moved into the 2:00s for second and third in the finale.

Tualatin’s Patrick Mulcare (2:01.61) and Aquazot’s Corey Okubo (2:02.00) qualified fourth and fifth, while Okubo’s teammate Thomas Smith will join him in the finale with a sixth-seeded 2:02.16.

SYS’s Austin Katz (2:02.44) and SwimMAC’s Nathan Murray (2:02.71) also made the championship heat this evening.

Women’s 100 free

Carmel demonstrated some serious depth in the event by going 1-3-6 in the A final. Amy Bilquist blasted through the 55-second barrier for the first with a 54.88 to lead all qualifiers, while Claire Adams took third overall in 55.89. Veronica Burchill also made the top eight with a sixth-ranked 56.45.

Roadrunner’s Stanzi Moseley (55.03) split the difference between Bilquist and Adams with a second-seeded performance, while Y-Sparta’s Katrina Konopka earned fourth in 55.97.

Natalie Labonge (56.41) and City of Mobile’s Paige Madden (56.47) also secured spots in the A final, while Saint Andrew’s Megan Moroney and Lakeside’s Lauren Pitzer set up a swimoff for the eighth spot with matching 56.51s.  Moroney beat Pitzer in the swimoff, 56.32 to 57.50.

Men’s 100 free

Nova’s Towney Haas clipped his personal best with a 50.49 to lead qualifying today. That’s just under his 50.60 from last year’s junior national championships. Dynamo’s Knox Auerbach checked in with a second-seeded time of 50.45 as he broke 51 for the first time, lowering his lifetime best of 51.56 from the Bulldog Grand Slam. Pleasanton’s Maxime Rooney rounded out the sub 51s with a 50.96. That’s a full second drop for Rooney, bettering his 51.90 from the Santa Clara stop of the Arena Grand Prix.

Upper Dublin’s Michael Jensen (51.04), Michigan Lakeshore’s Tabahn Afrik (51.05) and AGUA’s Michael Domagala (51.07) all qualified into the championship heat with 51.0s, while Bolles’ Tyler Rice secured a spot as well with a seventh-seeded 51.13. Zionsville’s Kyle Decoursey and Machine’s James Murphy set up the second straight A final swimoff of the day with matching 51.23s for the eighth lane.  Murphy won 51.08 to 51.16.

Women’s 400 IM

Bellevue’s Kim Williams clinched the top seed with a 4:45.97, more than a second ahead of the rest of the field. That’s a huge lifetime best for Williams, cutting down her previous top time from 4:48.01 from 2012. Y-Sparta’s Savanna Faulconer raced to second in 4:47.19 with Lakeside’s Leah Stevens taking third in 4:47.72. FAST’s Lauren Edelman was the only other sub-4:50 swimmer this morning with a fourth-seeded 4:49.56.

Aberdeen’s Hannah Kastigar (4:50.74), Tampa Bay’s Christin Rockway (4:51.11), Redlands’ Sonia Wang (4:51.20) and North Carolina’s Madison Homovich (4:51.23) wrapped up the rest of the A final spots.

Men’s 400 IM

PASA’s Curtis Ogren raced his way to the top seed in 4:18.77, and it wasn’t even close. Wilton Y’s Ian Rainey had the second-best time with a 4:20.82, while Cascade’s Abrahm Devine took third in 4:22.00, but no one came close to touching Ogren this morning. Ogren will be vying for a lifetime best tonight. He has a 4:17.79 from a year ago, and should definitely take a run at that swim.

Cypress Fairbanks’ Austin Van Overdam (4:23.12), PACK’s Ben Walker (4:23.36), Tualatin’s Patrick Mulcare (4:24.08), Aquazot’s Alex Peterson (4:24.22) and SwimAtlanta’s Tom Peribonio (4:24.28) also earned their ways into the championship heat.

Curtis Ogren (4:18.77), Ian Rainey (4:20.82), Abrahm Devine (4:22.00), Austin Van Overdam (4:23.12), Benjamin Walker (4:23.36), Patrick Mulcare (4:24.08), Alex Peterson (4:24.22) and Tom Peribonio (4:24.28).

We’ll come back with a full update after all heats are swum.

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

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x