Junior Pan Pacific Championships: Yolane Kukla, Evan Pinion, Rebecca Kemp, David Nolan Turn in World-Class Times

MAUI, Hawaii, August 29. THE final night of long course meter racing came to an end at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships with some sterling times being posted by each country's future elites. The 10K open water races will conclude the meet tomorrow.

In prelims of the women's 50 free, Australia's Yolane Kukla (25.41) and USA's Madeline Schaefer (25.59) both cleared the meet record (25.61) set by Ellese Zalewski back in 2007. Kukla then threw down a blazing fast 24.74 in the finale to move to eighth in the world rankings. Schaefer took second in 25.42, while Canada's Chantal Vanlandeghem placed third in 25.49. USA's Lia Neal earned fourth under the former meet record with a 25.58.

USA's Evan Pinion jumped into 20th in the world in the men's 800 free with a time of 7:58.93. That performance surpassed the 7:59.13 set by Gergely Gyurta earlier this month. Australia's Ned McKendry placed second in 8:02.28, while USA's Nicholas Caldwell finished third in 8:02.50.

Australia's Rebecca Kemp turned in a time of 2:26.47 in the women's 200 breast, lowering the meet record of 2:26.92 set by Keiko Fukudome a year ago. She also improved her 21st-ranked season best of 2:26.63, but did not eclipse the 20th-ranked time of 2:26.15 set by Katy Freeman at Pan Pacs. USA's Andrea Kropp snared second in 2:27.64, while Canada's Tera Van Beilin pocketed third in 2:29.12.

USA's David Nolan clocked a swift meet record in the men's 200 IM with a 2:00.61. That effort jumped Nolan up to 24th in the world rankings, while Australia's Mitch Larkin touched second in 2:01.53 as both cleared Nick D'Innocenzo's 2009 meet mark of 2:02.58. Australia's Jayden Hadler wound up third in 2:03.40.

Australia's Te Haumi Maxwell cleared the meet record in the men's 50 free during prelims with a 22.48. That time beat the 2009 record of 22.90 set by Kenta Ito. Compatriot Kenneth To, however, grabbed the title in the finale with a 22.49. Maxwell touched second in 22.66, while USA's Brent Murray completed the podium with a third-place 22.78.

Bonnie Macdonald of Australia clocked a 16:29.79 to win the women's 1500 free. That swim pushed her into 23rd in the world rankings this year. Teammate Jessica Ashwood touched second in 16:30.40, while USA's Amber McDermott placed third in 16:36.04.

USA's Jasmine Tosky dominated the women's 200 IM with a top time of 2:13.55. Japan's Rika Omoto finished second in 2:15.78, while USA's Emily Cameron earned third in 2:16.23.

The men's 200 breast meet record of 2:14.41 set by Yuki Sato in 2005 didn't stand a chance as a trio of swimmers both touched in 2:13s. Japan's Akiho Yamaguchi won in 2:13.43, while USA's Matt Elliott placed second in 2:13.53. Australia's Nicholas Schafer picked up third in 2:13.92.

USA's Madison White, Katie Olsen, Kelly Naze and Lia Neal blasted the meet record in the women's 400 medley relay with a time of 4:03.73. That time wiped out the 2009 mark of 4:06.04 set by the U.S. Australia's Whitney Ireland, Tessa Wallace, Yolane Kukla and Emma McKeon took second in 4:05.16, also under the previous standard.

USA's Kip Darmody, Matt Elliott, David Nolan and Clay Youngquist demolished the meet record in the men's 400 medley relay with a time of 3:38.48. That swim beat the 3:41.59 set by the USA B squad of Jacob Pebley, Kevin Cordes, Seth Stubblefield and Tyler Messerschmidt just one heat prior. Australia's Ben Edmonds, Nicholas Schafer, Jayden Hadler and Kenneth To took second in 3:40.28, also under the B squad record.

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