Andrew Seliskar Dazzles In Day 1 Prelims At NCSA Juniors

Photo Courtesy: Christopher Rattray

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ORLANDO – Two national age group records were the highlights of the first day of short course yards prelims at the NCSA junior national championships, but Andrew Seliskar made a couple of bids to change the record books as well with two strong swims of his own. With prelims being held in short course yards and finals in long course meters, swimmers were putting up lifetime bests this morning.

Women’s events, Day 1 NCSA junior nationals prelims

Alexis Wenger broke her own 13-14 national age group record in the 100 breaststroke with a 1:00.02. She’ll be the top seed in that event tonight, and will try to get close to Amanda Beard’s long course national age group record of 1:08.09.

Lucie Nordmann of The Woodlands Swim Team dropped nearly four seconds off her lifetime best to get the top seed in the 200 backstroke with a 1:55.59. That qualified the 14-year-old for the senior nationals, and she will try to post an equivalent time in long course tonight.

Stanzi Moseley and Katie Drabot both posted times under 49 seconds in the 100 free, with Roadrunner’s Moseley getting the top seed for tonight’s finals with a 48.14 and Ozaukee’s Drabot right behind with a 48.96. In the 200 butterfly, Nation’s Capital Swim Club’s Cassidy Bayer took a run at Mary T. Meagher’s 15-16 national age group record of 1:52.99, taking the first 100 yards out in 54.61. She faltered at the finish but still posted a lifetime best of 1:55.20. Bayer owns the 13-14 NAG record with a 1:55.53 from the 2013 NCSA juniors.

Men’s events, Day 1 NCSA junior nationals prelims

In the 500 free, Matthew Hirschberger, fresh from his 1000 freestyle national age group record, went after Sean Grieshop’s 15-16 national age group record of 4:16.59 and got it with a lifetime best 4:16.43. He was the only swimmer under 4:20 in prelims, with Machine Aquatics’ James Murphy posting a 4:22.30 for the second seed.

Andrew Seliskar, swimming in what is likely his final short course yards championship meet as an 18-year-old, took aim at two national age group records this morning. He started with the 100 breaststroke and Kevin Cordes’ 51.76, but was an agonizing .02 off the record with a 51.78. (Splits: 24.55, 27.23) It’s his first time under 52 seconds, though, and puts him in a tie with Carlos Almeida for the 14th-fastest performer in history. Cordes swam that 51.76 as a freshman at the 2012 NCAA championships. Also of note in the 100 breast prelims was the 52.44 from former national high school record holder Carsten Vissering, beating his lifetime best of 52.83.

About 30 minutes after the 100 breast, Seliskar was up for his top event, the 200 butterfly. He was chasing his own national record of 1:41.33 from last December’s Tom Dolan Invitational. Seliskar was out fast, posting a 48.23 at the halfway mark. But the aftereffects of the 100 breast were likely the culprit for Seliskar’s 1:42.00 at the finish. It’s his third-fastest performance, behind two from last December.

The men of Nation’s Capital dominated prelims, taking the top spot in all four events. John Shebat balzed to a lifetime best 1:42.27 in the 200 backstroke, which he needed to beat the 1:42.55 by Dynamo Swim Club’s Michael Taylor.

2015 NCSA junior nationals, day 1 prelims – Results

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Dunc1952

9 years ago

I don’t see Shebat’s name in the finals heat sheet for the 200 Back. Injured? Sick? Not wanting to do Long Course?

SwimGeek

9 years ago

I read elsewhere that Shebat is battling illness – hence scratching finals