2019 Speedo Sectionals Buffalo Day 1: The Fish Sweep Distance Events

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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By Taylor Covington, Swimming World College Intern.

The 2019 Speedo Sectionals in Buffalo kicked off Thursday evening with a slate of distance freestyle events, including the Women’s 1500 free, Men’s 800 free, and Men and Women’s 800 free relay.

The Fish’s distance stalwart Madelyn Donohoe established an immediate presence when she pulled away from the pack to win the 1500 free by over 14 seconds. Despite a loaded field, Donahoe made the win look easy, cruising to a 17:04.37 finish to set the pace for the weekend. Her teammate, Sam O’Brien, followed in suit by maintaining The Fish’s distance sweep. Finishing strong the last 200 meters, O’Brien took the win in the 800 free with a 8:44.02 to claim another first place for the club.

Women 1500 Free

The Fish’s Madelyn Donohoe kickstarted timed finals with a cleanly split race, leaving the rest of the field to post an impressive time of 17:04.37. Her closest competitor was Radnor Aquatic Club’s Anna Kalandadze, a fellow seventeen-year-old distance phenom who cinched second with a time of 17:18.42. Westchester Aquatic Club’s Kristin Cornish touched in at third beating Kalandadze with a 17:22.28, a stellar time for the fifteen-year-old.

Cape Cod Swim Club’s Tessa Mock broke her way into the top four with a time of 17:38.31, followed by The Fish’s Bridget O’Shaughnessy (17:43.33) and Westchester Aquatic Club’s Alexandra Bastone (17:48.74). Bastone’s teammate, Claire Weinstein (17:58.98) rounded out the fastest heat with a time of 17:58.98, followed by Radnor Aquatic Club’s Naomi Furman (18:04.35).

Men 800 Free

The men put up an equally impressive first race, as The Fish’s Sam O’Brien seized the victory in the 800 with a time of 8:44.02. He barely edged out Cougar Aquatic Team’s Patrick Flint (8:45.26) for the win, as the two battled to the finish in a sprint-like effort. Radnor Aquatic Club’s Patrick Casey (8:48.85) managed to touch in at third, followed by Swim Ithaca’s Carter Anderson (8:51.73) and Victor Swim Club’s Thomas Chapman (8:55.40).

Lake Erie Silver Dolphins member Michael Butler barely eclipsed the sub-9:00 mark with a time of 9:00.74, followed by Cougar Aquatic Team’s Brian Mulen (9:04.63) and Star Swimming’s Maxim Kruglov (9:07.56).

Women 800 Free Relay

The Fish’s Lilly Cleal, Grace Cutrell, Madelyn Donohoe, and Allison Martin combined forces to take the win in the meet’s first relay, dropping an 8:36.10 to outswim Radnor Aquatic Club’s Anna Kalandadze, Naomi Furman, Grace Myers, and Louise Hay (8:45.78). Retriever Aquatic Club’s Anastasia Lesho, Sophia Schulze, Amanda Cradock, and Makaela Hill managed to touch in before Cape Cod Swim Club’s Madeline King, Tessa Mock, Catherine Crampton, and Maria Kelly (8:53.77) with a time of 8:53.04 to round out the top four.

Men 800 Free Relay

Clifton Park-Halfmoon Piranhas’ Kaleb Hotaling, James Jordan, Theodore Bearor, and Scott Ward took it all on the men’s side, speeding past the competition to boast a 8:05.76. Star Swimming’s Graeme Staples, Joshua Stegner, Joseph Blake, and Owen Matteson sprinted into second with a time of 8:15.54 ahead Cougar Aquatics’ Aaron Khodarkovsky, Brian White, Brian Mullen, and Patrick Flint (8:16.26). The Fish’s Aiken Do, William Redman, David Dimeglio, and Sam O’Brien followed close behind the Cougars, surging into the finish to drop an impressive 8:16.45.

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Paul Dotterweich
4 years ago

Way to go Kaleb Hotaling, James Jordan, TJ Bearor and Scott Ward!! Can’t wait to work with you guys !!

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