2018 Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East: Walsh Sisters Chase NAG Records on Final Morning in Greensboro

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The final prelims session of the 2018 Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships from Greensboro, North Carolina will feature the heats of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and 200 fly. It has been a very fast meet thus far with meet records and NAG records breaking left and right.

More NAG records could fall tonight with the likes of the Walsh sisters and the Foster brothers competing. Gretchen Walsh is the top seed in the 100 free while Alex Walsh is ahead in the 200 breast. Jake Foster is on top in the 200 breast and is second in the 200 fly, while Carson Foster is ahead in the 200 back.

14-year-olds have made quite the impression this week in Greensboro as well with Natalie Mannion and Charlotte Hook on top in the 200 back and 200 fly respectively.

Women’s 200 Back

Three 14-year-olds made the A-Final in the 200 back on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships with Natalie Mannion taking the top spot at 1:55.79. Claire Curzan (1:56.46) is third and Charlotte Hook (1:57.16) is eighth. Mannion moved all the way up to 20th all-time in the 13-14 NAG rankings, just behind Curzan.

18-year-old Caitlin Brooks is the second seed after coming in to the meet with the number one overall seed. She swam a 1:56.08, well off her 1:52.01 seed time, so she could have more left in the tank.

Kathryn Ackerman (1:56.63) and Ellie Waldrep (1:56.78), both 16, are fourth and fifth respectively.

Talia Bates (1:56.96) and Maddy Flickinger (1:57.08) also qualified for the final.

 Event 27  Women 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 1:50.59  12/14/2013Clara Smiddy, AquaKids Sharks-
         Pool: P 1:47.91  3/21/2015 Missy Franklin, CAL-PC
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims HyPts       
==================================================================
                         === Round 1 ===                          
 
  1 Natalie Mannion  14 Commonwealth Swi  1:57.93    1:55.79  q934  
             27.79        56.89 (29.10)
        1:26.40 (29.51)     1:55.79 (29.39)
  2 Caitlin Brooks   18 Gator Swim Club-  1:52.01    1:56.08  q928  
             27.15        56.52 (29.37)
        1:26.45 (29.93)     1:56.08 (29.63)
  3 Claire Curzan    14 TAC Titans-NC     1:55.61    1:56.46  q921  
             26.90        56.23 (29.33)
        1:26.07 (29.84)     1:56.46 (30.39)
  4 Kathryn Ackerma  16 Michigan Lakesho  1:56.36    1:56.63  q917  
             27.45        56.87 (29.42)
        1:26.58 (29.71)     1:56.63 (30.05)
  5 Ellie Waldrep    16 Baylor Swim Club  1:59.19    1:56.78  q914  
             27.16        56.27 (29.11)
        1:26.41 (30.14)     1:56.78 (30.37)
  6 Talia Bates      17 Gator Swim Club-  1:57.52    1:56.96  q911  
             27.67        57.08 (29.41)
        1:27.14 (30.06)     1:56.96 (29.82)
  7 Maddy Flickinge  17 SwimMAC Carolina  1:56.98    1:57.08  q908  
             27.96        57.17 (29.21)
        1:27.09 (29.92)     1:57.08 (29.99)
  8 Charlotte Hook   14 TAC Titans-NC     1:58.21    1:57.16  q907  
             27.93        57.38 (29.45)
        1:27.31 (29.93)     1:57.16 (29.85)

Men’s 200 Back

17-year-old Carson Foster didn’t seem to take a hard stroke in the 200 back heats on Saturday morning at the 2018 Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Foster qualified first with a 1:43.96, a little off his 1:41 seed time. He has already broken two meet records at this meet and could chase the 200 back one down tonight, which is held by 2016 Olympian Jacob Pebley from 2011.

Foster is ahead of Manta Rays teammate Noah Young (1:44.14), who dropped three seconds off his entry time to climb all the way up to the second seed. Carmel’s Wyatt Davis (1:44.22) and Dayton Raiders’s Owen Conley (1:44.90) also broke 1:45 in the heats.

Lleyton Smith (1:45.35), Hugh Svendsen (1:45.36), Ian Grum (1:46.18) and Thomas Hamlet (1:46.37) also qualified for the A-Final.

 Event 28  Men 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 1:40.79  12/10/2011Jacob Pebley, Corvallis Aquati
         Pool: P 1:39.28  2/27/2016 Grigory Tarasevich, LOU-KY
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims HyPts       
==================================================================
                         === Round 1 ===                          
 
  1 Carson Foster    17 Mason Manta Rays  1:41.66    1:43.96  q923  
             23.92        49.52 (25.60)
        1:16.19 (26.67)     1:43.96 (27.77)
  2 Noah Young       18 Mason Manta Rays  1:47.05    1:44.14  q919  
             25.27        51.90 (26.63)
        1:18.16 (26.26)     1:44.14 (25.98)
  3 Wyatt Davis      17 Carmel Swim Club  1:44.37    1:44.22  q917  
             24.93        51.20 (26.27)
        1:17.75 (26.55)     1:44.22 (26.47)
  4 Owen Conley      17 Dayton Raiders-O  1:44.77    1:44.90  q901  
             25.38        52.02 (26.64)
        1:18.65 (26.63)     1:44.90 (26.25)
  5 Lleyton Smith    17 SwimAtlanta-GA    1:46.63    1:45.35  q890  
             24.56        50.61 (26.05)
        1:17.69 (27.08)     1:45.35 (27.66)
  6 Hugh Svendsen    17 SwimMAC Carolina  1:48.30    1:45.36  q890  
             24.86        51.38 (26.52)
        1:18.33 (26.95)     1:45.36 (27.03)
  7 Ian Grum         17 Dynamo Swim Club  1:45.96    1:46.18  q871  
             25.19                     
            1:19.29 ( )     1:46.18 (26.89)
  8 Thomas Hamlet    17 Enfinity Aquatic  1:48.29    1:46.37  q867  
             24.91        51.88 (26.97)
        1:19.57 (27.69)     1:46.37 (26.80)

Women’s 100 Free

15-year-old Gretchen Walsh put up the number one time in the 100 free heats with a solid 48.57 on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Walsh has been a 47.93 before, so it is not a best for her. She currently sits fourth all-time in the 15-16 NAG rankings and is chasing the 47.73 by Simone Manuel from 2013.

Walsh is leading a very strong field in the 100 Free A-Final with Isabel Ivey (48.97) and Maxine Parker (48.99) sitting second and third. Parker moved up to tied for 35th all-time in the 15-16 age group with two-time NCAA champion Margo Geer.

Chelsea Piers got three swimmers in the final with Parker, Kate Douglass (49.15) and Bridget Semenuk (49.18). Parker is a new addition to the team as she was in Illinois this summer.

Rebekah Hamilton (49.33), Ashley Turak (49.36) and Kelly Pash (49.48) also qualified for the A-Final.

 Event 29  Women 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 46.29  12/13/2014Abbigail Weitzeil, Canyons Aquatic
         Pool: P 46.09  3/21/2015 Simone Manuel, STAN-PC
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims HyPts       
==================================================================
                         === Round 1 ===                          
 
  1 Gretchen Walsh   15 Nashville Aquati    47.93      48.57  q941  
             23.30        48.57 (25.27)
  2 Isabel Ivey      18 Laker Swim-FL       48.74      48.97  q919  
             23.50        48.97 (25.47)
  3 Maxine Parker    16 Chelsea Piers Aq    49.24      48.99  q918  
             23.55        48.99 (25.44)
  4 Kate Douglass    17 Chelsea Piers Aq    48.77      49.15  q909  
             23.71        49.15 (25.44)
  5 Bridget Semenuk  17 Chelsea Piers Aq    49.39      49.18  q908  
             23.52        49.18 (25.66)
  6 Rebekah Hamilto  15 Huntsville Swim-    49.35      49.33  q900  
             23.70        49.33 (25.63)
  7 Ashley Turak     18 dROP Aquatics-MI    48.72      49.36  q898  
             23.81        49.36 (25.55)
  8 Kelly Pash       17 Carmel Swim Club    48.55      49.48  q892  
             23.82        49.48 (25.66)

Men’s 100 Free

15-year-old Jack Alexy broke 44 seconds for the first time with a 43.73 for the top seed on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Alexy’s 100 free puts him ninth all-time in the 15-16 age group rankings. He has a ways to go to catch the 42.67 NAG record held by Ryan Hoffer set in 2014 at this meet.

Alexy and Kimani Gregory (43.74) were the only ones to break 44 seconds in the heats. 50 free champ Adam Chaney is the third seed at 44.05, as he moved up to 20th all-time in the 15-16 age group.

Cason Wilburn got into another A-Final with his 44.39 for fourth seed. Jack Wright (44.55), John Walker (44.57), Hunter Tapp (44.61) and Luke Uttley (44.69) also swam in the A-Final.

 Event 30  Men 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 41.23  12/12/2015Ryan Hoffer, Scottsdale Aquat
         Pool: P 41.31  12/6/2014 Nathan Adrian, CAL-PC
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims HyPts       
==================================================================
                         === Round 1 ===                          
 
  1 Jack Alexy       15 Somerset Hills Y    44.01      43.73  q892  
             20.92        43.73 (22.81)
  2 Kimani Gregory   17 Racer X Aquatics    43.76      43.74  q892  
             20.92        43.74 (22.82)
  3 Adam Chaney      16 Mason Manta Rays    44.26      44.05  q875  
             20.92        44.05 (23.13)
  4 Cason Wilburn    17 East Coast Aquat    44.22      44.39  q856  
             21.16        44.39 (23.23)
  5 Jack Wright      18 Allegheny North-    43.56      44.55  q847  
             21.43        44.55 (23.12)
  6 John Walker      17 SwimMAC Carolina    44.34      44.57  q846  
             21.47        44.57 (23.10)
  7 Hunter Tapp      17 Lakeside Swim Te    43.99      44.61  q844  
             21.43        44.61 (23.18)
  8 Luke Uttley      16 Trinity Prep Aqu    44.84      44.69  q840  
             21.40        44.69 (23.29)

Women’s 200 Breast

17-year-old Alex Walsh had a smooth swim on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships with a 2:08.18 in the 200 breast heats. She was off her 2:06.45 best time, but has a chance to get far under the meet record of 2:07.44 from Zoe Bartel set last year. With her swim this morning, Walsh is 11th all-time in the 17-18 age group in the 200 breast and has a chance to get well in the top eight. The NAG record is a 2:05.99 held by Annie Zhu from 2013.

Walsh is over a second ahead of Abby Arens (2:09.21) of Marlins of Raleigh. She was the only other swimmer under 2:10 in the heats. Arens moved up to seventh all-time in the 15-16 age group with her swim.

Walsh’s Nashville teammate Ella Nelson (2:11.00) is the third seed and Arens’s Marlins teammate Ashley McCauley is fourth at 2:12.30. Both Nelson and McCauley came in to the meet with 2:09 seed times.

Claire Donan (2:13.68), Brooke Zettel (2:13.99), Grace Rainey (2:14.07) and Sarah Bender (2:14.33) also qualified for the top eight.

Rainey is now 23rd all-time in the 13-14 age group for the 200 breast.

 Event 31  Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 2:07.44  12/9/2017 Zoe Bartel, Fort Collins
         Pool: P 2:04.34  2/22/2014 Emma Reaney, UND-IN
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims HyPts       
==================================================================
                         === Round 1 ===                          
 
  1 Alex Walsh       17 Nashville Aquati  2:06.45    2:08.18  q975  
             29.29      1:01.51 (32.22)
        1:34.83 (33.32)     2:08.18 (33.35)
  2 Abby Arens       16 Marlins of Ralei  2:10.04    2:09.21  q959  
             29.46      1:02.34 (32.88)
        1:35.60 (33.26)     2:09.21 (33.61)
  3 Ella Nelson      17 Nashville Aquati  2:09.81    2:11.00  q930  
             29.84      1:02.95 (33.11)
        1:36.82 (33.87)     2:11.00 (34.18)
  4 Ashley McCauley  17 Marlins of Ralei  2:09.54    2:12.30  q909  
           1:03.57                     
            1:37.80 ( )     2:12.30 (34.50)
  5 Claire Donan     17 Triton Swimming-  2:12.25    2:13.68  q887  
             30.22      1:03.81 (33.59)
        1:38.10 (34.29)     2:13.68 (35.58)
  6 Brooke Zettel    15 TAC Titans-NC     2:12.00    2:13.99  q882  
           1:04.24                     
            1:39.06 ( )     2:13.99 (34.93)
  7 Grace Rainey     14 SwimMAC Carolina  2:15.89    2:14.07  q881  
             30.10      1:04.04 (33.94)
        1:39.27 (35.23)     2:14.07 (34.80)
  8 Sarah Bender     17 NOVA of Virginia  2:16.54    2:14.33  q877  
             30.53      1:04.27 (33.74)
        1:39.06 (34.79)     2:14.33 (35.27)

Men’s 200 Breast

Jake Foster cruised to another top seed, this time in the 200 breast at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Foster swam a 1:56.81 as he is a half second ahead of Paul Degrado (1:57.31) and 100 champ Josh Matheny (1:57.54). Foster is still searching for his first win of the weekend individually, as he was second in the 200 and 400 IM, and the 100 breast.

Matheny moved up to 12th all-time in the 15-16 age group with his swim this morning.

Maxwell Reich (1:58.62), Tyler Christian (1:59.39), Dylan Rhee (1:59.44), Scott Sobolewski (1:59.55) and Drew Grespin (2:00.13) also qualified for the A-Final.

 Event 32  Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 1:52.37  12/10/2016Reece Whitley, Penn Charter  AC
         Pool: P 1:52.87  2/27/2016 Brandon Fiala, VT-VA
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims HyPts       
==================================================================
                         === Round 1 ===                          
 
  1 Jake Foster      18 Mason Manta Rays  1:55.40    1:56.81  q924  
             26.14        55.76 (29.62)
        1:26.02 (30.26)     1:56.81 (30.79)
  2 Paul Degrado     17 Episcopal AmberJ  1:59.04    1:57.31  q915  
             26.22        55.77 (29.55)
        1:26.32 (30.55)     1:57.31 (30.99)
  3 Josh Matheny     16 Pittsburgh Elite  1:58.26    1:57.54  q911  
             26.42        56.39 (29.97)
        1:26.70 (30.31)     1:57.54 (30.84)
  4 Maxwell Reich    16 Phoenix Swimming  1:59.93    1:58.62  q892  
             27.22        56.83 (29.61)
        1:27.84 (31.01)     1:58.62 (30.78)
  5 Tyler Christian  16 Naval Academy Aq  1:58.60    1:59.38  q878  
             26.76        56.95 (30.19)
        1:28.02 (31.07)     1:59.38 (31.36)
  6 Dylan Rhee       17 Asphalt Green Un  1:58.87    1:59.44  q877  
             27.23        57.57 (30.34)
        1:28.51 (30.94)     1:59.44 (30.93)
  7 Scott Sobolewsk  16 Cincinnati Marli  2:00.45    1:59.55  q875  
             27.58        57.74 (30.16)
        1:28.23 (30.49)     1:59.55 (31.32)
  8 Drew Grespin     17 Greater Toledo A  2:01.48    2:00.13  q865  
             27.06        57.10 (30.04)
        1:28.01 (30.91)     2:00.13 (32.12)

Women’s 200 Fly

14-year-old Charlotte Hook and 15-year-old Grace Sheble posted identical 1:56.63’s this morning in the 200 fly at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Hook sits sixth all-time in the 13-14 age group in that event with her 1:56.62 from a few weeks ago. She is within striking distance of the NAG record of 1:56.01 by Cassidy Bayer from 2013.

Sheble, already a winner this weekend in the 400 IM, also added a little bit to her best time. She currently sits 19th all-time in the 15-16 age group in the 200 fly.

Rachel Klinker (1:57.36) and Gabi Albiero (1:57.76) put up the third and fourth fastest times of the morning.

500 champ Mary Smutny (1:58.36) also qualified for the final in fifth place.

Megan Deuel (1:58.51), Tristen Ulett (1:58.88) and Kelly Pash (1:59.08) also qualified for the final.

 Event 33  Women 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 1:53.49  12/9/2017 Olivia Carter, Enfinity Aquatic
         Pool: P 1:51.11  3/21/2015 Kelsi Worrell, UOFL-KY
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims HyPts       
==================================================================
                         === Round 1 ===                          
 
  1 Charlotte Hook   14 TAC Titans-NC     1:56.62    1:56.63  q916  
             26.72        56.54 (29.82)
        1:26.38 (29.84)     1:56.63 (30.25)
  1 Grace Sheble     15 NOVA of Virginia  1:55.82    1:56.63  q916  
             27.02        56.74 (29.72)
        1:26.81 (30.07)     1:56.63 (29.82)
  3 Rachel Klinker   18 Lexington Dolphi  1:57.92    1:57.36  q903  
             26.56        56.45 (29.89)
        1:26.92 (30.47)     1:57.36 (30.44)
  4 Gabi Albiero     16 Cardinal Aquatic  1:57.72    1:57.76  q896  
             26.23        55.91 (29.68)
        1:26.12 (30.21)     1:57.76 (31.64)
  5 Mary Smutny      18 South Florida Aq  1:56.93    1:58.36  q886  
             26.86        57.03 (30.17)
        1:27.38 (30.35)     1:58.36 (30.98)
  6 Megan Deuel      16 Victor Swim Club  1:58.29    1:58.51  q883  
             27.54        58.58 (31.04)
        1:28.54 (29.96)     1:58.51 (29.97)
  7 Tristen Ulett    16 Dynamo Swim Club  1:57.99    1:58.88  q877  
             26.85        57.00 (30.15)
        1:27.44 (30.44)     1:58.88 (31.44)
  8 Kelly Pash       17 Carmel Swim Club  1:57.15    1:59.08  q873  
             27.43        57.60 (30.17)
        1:27.95 (30.35)     1:59.08 (31.13)

Men’s 200 Fly

Jean-Pierre Khouzam of the Dayton Raiders put up the top time in the 200 fly on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships with a 1:45.41. Khouzam moved up to eighth all-time in the 200 fly in the 15-16 age group as he dropped almost three full seconds off his entry time.

He was also the only swimmer to break 1:46 in the heats as Jake Foster is the second seed at 1:46.36. Foster was not far removed from the 200 breast, where he put up the top time in that event not long before.

Noah Henderson (1:47.00) is the third seed while 100 champ Sterling Crane (1:47.24) is the fourth seed.

Tyler Watson (1:47.56), Preston Forst (1:47.72), Adam Mahler (1:47.89) and Kevin Leibold (1:48.19) also qualified for the A-Final.

 Event 34  Men 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
  SC Jrs Meet: J 1:43.64  12/14/2013Robert McHugh, Baylor Swim Club
         Pool: P 1:41.08  2/24/2018 Nicolas Albiero, LOU-KY
    Name            Age Team                 Seed    Prelims HyPts       
==================================================================
                         === Round 1 ===                          
 
  1 Jean-pierre Kho  16 Dayton Raiders-O  1:48.28    1:45.41  q911  
             23.49        50.35 (26.86)
        1:17.11 (26.76)     1:45.41 (28.30)
  2 Jake Foster      18 Mason Manta Rays  1:46.63    1:46.36  q890  
             24.17        51.21 (27.04)
        1:18.60 (27.39)     1:46.36 (27.76)
  3 Noah Henderson   17 Star Aquatics-NC  1:46.89    1:47.00  q876  
             23.82        51.19 (27.37)
        1:18.87 (27.68)     1:47.00 (28.13)
  4 Sterling Crane   17 Episcopal AmberJ  1:46.65    1:47.24  q871  
             23.84        50.94 (27.10)
        1:19.21 (28.27)     1:47.24 (28.03)
  5 Tyler Watson     17 North Florida Sw  1:46.80    1:47.56  q864  
             24.46        52.06 (27.60)
        1:20.17 (28.11)     1:47.56 (27.39)
  6 Preston Forst    17 Enfinity Aquatic  1:47.66    1:47.72  q860  
             24.29        51.56 (27.27)
        1:19.40 (27.84)     1:47.72 (28.32)
  7 Adam Mahler      18 Unattached-MA     1:48.22    1:47.89  q857  
             24.02        51.39 (27.37)
        1:19.56 (28.17)     1:47.89 (28.33)
  8 Kevin Leibold    17 Dayton Raiders-O  1:50.12    1:48.19  q850  
             24.33        51.99 (27.66)
        1:20.07 (28.08)     1:48.19 (28.12)

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