Junior Pan Pacs – Day 2 Finals: Flynn Southam Dazzles In 100 Freestyle; Erin Gemmell Pops Dynamite Relay Split
Thomas Heilman turned heads in the prelims of the 100 free Thursday. Flynn Southam churned water in the final.
The Aussie upset Heilman, who in the morning downed a Caeleb Dressel national age-group record in the 100 free. But Southam, two years older, led the way in the final, earning gold in a dominant swim of 48.23.
It was the early highlight of Night 2 of the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, bringing together the best junior swimmers in the Pacific Rim countries in Honolulu, Hawaii.
An event-by-event recap:
Women’s 100 Freestyle
Two days, two meet records for Erin Gemmell.
Gemmell lowered the Junior Pan Pacs record in the women’s 100 free by winning a scintillating final in 54.13 seconds. She had gone 54.42 in the prelims to trim five hundredths off Gretchen Walsh’s meet mark from 2018.
Gemmell looked set to boss the final, going out in 26.19, up on the field by a half second. But the Australian duo bracketing her nearly succeeded in chasing her down. Milla Jansen set a best time of 54.36 to get silver (she had been 54.94 entering the meet). Olivia Wunsch got bronze in a best time of 54.50. But Gemmell, who won the 200 free on Wednesday, had the final kick left to keep them behind her.
Anna Moesch, who anchored America’s winning 400 mixed medley relay Wednesday night, won the B final with the fourth-fastest time of the night in 54.93, just ahead of countrywoman Kayla Wilson (55.14).
Event 10 Women 100 LC Meter Freestyle
==================================================================
Jr World: J 52.70 8/11/2016 Penny Oleksiak, CAN
Jr. Pan Pac: M 54.47 8/24/2018 Gretchen WALSH, USA-US
Name Year Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Gemmell, Erin 04 USA-US- 54.42 54.13M 871
26.19 54.13 (27.94)
2 Jansen, Milla 06 Australia- 54.53 54.36M 860
26.70 54.36 (27.66)
3 Wunsch, Olivia 06 Australia- 54.92 54.50 854
26.68 54.50 (27.82)
4 Wilson, Kayla 04 USA-US- 55.00 55.14 824
26.87 55.14 (28.27)
5 Daley, Lilly 05 Canada- 55.46 55.39 813
26.92 55.39 (28.47)
6 Littlejohn, Laura 04 New Zealand- 55.76 55.60 804
27.15 55.60 (28.45)
7 Liang, Christey 04 Canada- 55.97 55.99 787
27.27 55.99 (28.72)
8 Ninomiya, Karin 04 Japan- 56.86 56.40 770
27.35 56.40 (29.05)
=== B - Final ===
9 Moesch, Anna 05 USA-US- 55.19 54.93 834
26.60 54.93 (28.33)
10 Shackell, Alex 06 USA-US- 55.80 55.43 811
26.67 55.43 (28.76)
Men’s 100 Freestyle
Thomas Heilman had been the story of the prelims, his 49.06 downing a Caeleb Dressel 15-16 national age group mark. Even if he had duplicated that speed, it wouldn’t have mattered against Flynn Southam.
The Aussie blitzed the field in 48.23 seconds, trouncing the meet record set in 2016 by countryman Jack Cartwright (48.91). In a swim held after a brief rain delay, he came back with a vengeance, his split of 24.44 not only faster than the rest of the field by .99 seconds but faster than half of the A finalist’s first 50s.
The Americans ended up with the second-, third- and fourth-fastest times. Heilman was second in 49.34. Daniel Diehl, off his backstroke heroics of the night before, won the B final in 50.08 (he had gone 49.86 in the morning, but was in the B final with each final limited to two swimmers from each nation). Kaii Winkler was second in the B final and fourth overall in 50.12 (he had gone 49.47 in prelims). Fifth overall was Australian Jamie Mooney.
Event 11 Men 100 LC Meter Freestyle
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Jr World: J 47.13 6/21/2022 David Popovici, ROM
Jr. Pan Pac: M 48.91 8/25/2016 Jack CARTWRIGHT, Australia
Name Year Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Southam, Flynn 05 Australia- 49.12 48.23M 920
23.79 48.23 (24.44)
2 Heilman, Thomas 07 USA-US- 49.06 49.34 859
23.91 49.34 (25.43)
3 Mooney, Jamie 04 Australia- 50.14 50.19 816
24.35 50.19 (25.84)
4 McFadden, Henry 05 USA-US- 49.23 50.27 812
24.37 50.27 (25.90)
5 Watanabe, Yuta 04 Japan- 50.95 50.93 781
24.78 50.93 (26.15)
6 Senc-Samardzic, Filip 05 Canada 51.23 51.04 776
25.01 51.04 (26.03)
6 Scott, Tatsumi Edward 04 Japan- 50.78 51.04 776
24.77 51.04 (26.27)
8 Dardis, Paul 06 Canada- 51.34 51.52 754
24.81 51.52 (26.71)
=== B - Final ===
9 Diehl, Daniel 05 USA-US- 49.86 50.08 821
24.30 50.08 (25.78)
10 Winkler, Kaii 06 USA-US- 49.47 50.12 819
24.25 50.12 (25.87)
11 Da Silva, Marcus 06 Australia- 50.21 50.47 802
24.73 50.47 (25.74)
Women’s 100 Breaststroke
Piper Enge went out quick and was tested down the stretch. But the American held tight to her lead down the stretch to get her hand to the wall first.
Enge outlasted a field that produced four sub-1:10 times, her 1:08.58 getting the win. She had been the top seed out of prelims.
She got a push in the final. Kotomi Kato of Japan and Isabella Johnson of Australia looked to be closing. That got them on the podium, but they couldn’t close the distance to Enge. Kato was second in 1:09.10. Johnson got bronze in 1:09.36. That left Yumeno Kusuda of Japan, who went 1:09.79, off the medal stand in fourth.
Event 12 Women 100 LC Meter Breaststroke
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Jr World: J 1:04.35 7/29/2013 Ruta Meilutyte, LTU
Jr. Pan Pac: M 1:07.55 8/24/2018 Emily WEISS, USA-US
Name Year Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Enge, Piper 06 USA-US- 1:08.38 1:08.58 817
32.55 1:08.58 (36.03)
2 Kato, Kotomi 06 Japan- 1:09.49 1:09.10 799
32.81 1:09.10 (36.29)
3 Johnson, Isabella 06 Australia- 1:10.47 1:09.36 790
32.56 1:09.36 (36.80)
4 Kusuda, Yumeno 05 Japan- 1:10.15 1:09.79 775
33.24 1:09.79 (36.55)
5 Martin, Sophie 05 Australia- 1:09.98 1:10.48 753
33.47 1:10.48 (37.01)
6 Ethier, Danika 04 Canada- 1:10.81 1:10.89 740
33.46 1:10.89 (37.43)
7 McMillan, Ashley 04 Canada- 1:10.65 1:11.60 718
33.32 1:11.60 (38.28)
8 Weyant, Gracie 05 USA-US- 1:11.48 1:12.24 699
33.91 1:12.24 (38.33)
Men’s 100 Breaststroke
The men’s 100 breast was just as engrossing. Again, an American took the initiative off the wall on the midpoint. Again, that American survived to the finish.
The difference was that Zhier Fan didn’t enter as the top seed as Enge had; he’d been fourth in the morning session at 1:02.40. But he was nearly two seconds quicker at night, and his final 50 of 31.97 opened up six tenths on the rest of the field, creating his victory. He clocked in at 1:00.74.
The battle for second went to Yamato Okadome of Japan, who went 1:01.35, six tenths off his pace-setting time from prelims. Singapore’s Nic Mahabir got rallied for third in 1:01.78, .07 up on Australia’s Haig Buckinham. American Watson Nguyen was fifth.
Event 13 Men 100 LC Meter Breaststroke
==================================================================
Jr World: J 59.01 8/23/2017 Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA
Jr. Pan Pac: M 59.85 8/24/2012 Akihiro YAMAGUCHI, Japan
Name Year Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Fan, Zhier 04 USA-US- 1:02.40 1:00.74 821
28.77 1:00.74 (31.97)
2 Okadome, Yamato 05 Japan- 1:00.70 1:01.35 796
28.73 1:01.35 (32.62)
3 Mahabir, Nicholas 05 Singapore 1:01.31 1:01.78 780
28.94 1:01.78 (32.84)
4 Buckingham, Haig 04 Australia- 1:01.74 1:01.85 777
28.59 1:01.85 (33.26)
5 Nguyen, Watson 05 USA-US- 1:03.12 1:02.91 739
29.51 1:02.91 (33.40)
6 Taivassalo, Brayden 04 Canada- 1:03.34 1:03.01 735
29.65 1:03.01 (33.36)
7 Gorgijovski, Alistair 04 Australia- 1:03.83 1:04.18 696
29.82 1:04.18 (34.36)
8 Chan, Junhao 04 Singapore- 1:04.38 1:05.33 659
30.16 1:05.33 (35.17)
Women’s 400 Individual Medley
Japan’s IM prowess is well-noted. Mio Narita’s expression of that Thursday was emphatic.
Narita won the A final decisive fashion, setting a Junior Pan Pacs record and besting the field by nearly seven seconds. Her time of 4:36.79 blew Becca Mann’s 2012 record of 4:39.76 out of the water.
Narita was away from the field nearly form the get go. While Canadian Ella Jansen was in front at the midway point, the front-halfer was sure to fade, and Narita gained six seconds on her in breaststroke.
Second went to American Kayla Han, who held off the charge of Japan’s Ayami Suzuki by a scant tenth. Han clocked in at 4:43.60. Jansen was fourth in 4:$3.83.
Event 14 Women 400 LC Meter IM
==================================================================
Jr World: J 4:32.04 6/25/2022 Summer McIntosh, CAN
Jr. Pan Pac: M 4:39.76 8/24/2012 Becca MANN, USA
Name Year Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Narita, Mio 06 Japan- 4:42.33 4:36.79M 891
29.53 1:03.03 (33.50)
1:39.35 (36.32) 2:14.57 (35.22)
2:53.23 (38.66) 3:32.75 (39.52)
4:05.25 (32.50) 4:36.79 (31.54)
2 Han, Kayla 08 USA-US- 4:46.99 4:43.60 828
31.48 1:05.25 (33.77)
1:41.98 (36.73) 2:17.96 (35.98)
2:58.74 (40.78) 3:39.13 (40.39)
4:11.88 (32.75) 4:43.60 (31.72)
3 Suzuki, Ayami 05 Japan- 4:47.18 4:43.70 827
29.94 1:03.65 (33.71)
1:39.67 (36.02) 2:15.30 (35.63)
2:57.35 (42.05) 3:39.63 (42.28)
4:12.25 (32.62) 4:43.70 (31.45)
4 Jansen, Ella 05 Canada- 4:48.22 4:43.83 826
29.72 1:03.12 (33.40)
1:38.88 (35.76) 2:13.86 (34.98)
2:55.22 (41.36) 3:37.83 (42.61)
4:11.70 (33.87) 4:43.83 (32.13)
5 Mattes, Michaela 05 USA-US- 4:47.84 4:45.78 809
30.35 1:04.16 (33.81)
1:40.48 (36.32) 2:15.93 (35.45)
2:59.00 (43.07) 3:42.69 (43.69)
4:14.44 (31.75) 4:45.78 (31.34)
6 Hazle, Kathryn 04 Canada- 4:49.06 4:48.60 786
30.19 1:05.04 (34.85)
1:43.36 (38.32) 2:20.40 (37.04)
3:01.48 (41.08) 3:42.83 (41.35)
4:16.04 (33.21) 4:48.60 (32.56)
7 Kritzinger, Tiana 05 Australia- 4:55.69 4:51.63 761
30.99 1:06.01 (35.02)
1:44.73 (38.72) 2:22.68 (37.95)
3:03.78 (41.10) 3:45.60 (41.82)
4:19.61 (34.01) 4:51.63 (32.02)
8 Roper, Georgie 05 Australia- 4:59.55 5:00.33 697
31.94 1:07.95 (36.01)
1:46.48 (38.53) 2:24.60 (38.12)
3:09.04 (44.44) 3:53.84 (44.80)
4:28.19 (34.35) 5:00.33 (32.14)
Men’s 400 Individual Medley
Six swimmers under 4:20 made for a scintillating final.
In the end, Ei Kamikawabata got to the wall first, using his breaststroke leg to pull away and build enough cushion to hold on for the win in 4:15.23.
The silver medal went to Maximus Williamson of the U.S. who surged from fourth to second over the final 100 meters to grab silver in 4:17.58. That’s a best time by 2.5 seconds. Riki Abe of Japan also jumped up a spot in the final 100 to bronze in 4:17.96. The slider was Australian William Petric, who went from second to fourth in 4:18.71. Canadian Lorne Wigginton, who was the second seed in the morning, finishing fifth in 4:19.73, .04 over American Cooper Lucas.
Japan also had two swimmers tie for the win in the B final, via Tomoyuki Matsushita and Asahi Kawashima in 4:21.05.
Event 15 Men 400 LC Meter IM
==================================================================
Jr World: J 4:10.02 5/23/2021 Ilia Borodin, RUS
Jr. Pan Pac: M 4:12.59 8/24/2012 Chase KALISZ, USA
Name Year Team Prelims Finals FINA
==================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Kamikawabata, Ei 04 Japan- 4:14.95 4:15.23 872
27.12 57.88 (30.76)
1:31.66 (33.78) 2:04.28 (32.62)
2:39.75 (35.47) 3:15.84 (36.09)
3:46.07 (30.23) 4:15.23 (29.16)
2 Williamson, Maximus 06 USA-US- 4:24.09 4:17.58 848
27.27 58.67 (31.40)
1:31.09 (32.42) 2:02.86 (31.77)
2:40.92 (38.06) 3:19.20 (38.28)
3:49.15 (29.95) 4:17.58 (28.43)
3 Abe, Riki 06 Japan- 4:19.84 4:17.96 844
27.40 58.34 (30.94)
1:32.33 (33.99) 2:06.19 (33.86)
2:42.41 (36.22) 3:18.91 (36.50)
3:49.56 (30.65) 4:17.96 (28.40)
4 Petric, William 04 Australia- 4:23.43 4:18.71 837
27.15 58.07 (30.92)
1:31.77 (33.70) 2:05.71 (33.94)
2:42.09 (36.38) 3:18.59 (36.50)
3:48.90 (30.31) 4:18.71 (29.81)
5 Wigginton, Lorne 05 Canada- 4:19.40 4:19.73 827
28.00 59.30 (31.30)
1:33.87 (34.57) 2:08.24 (34.37)
2:44.50 (36.26) 3:21.19 (36.69)
3:51.07 (29.88) 4:19.73 (28.66)
6 Lucas, Cooper 05 USA-US- 4:21.21 4:19.77 827
27.22 58.09 (30.87)
1:32.19 (34.10) 2:05.24 (33.05)
2:42.28 (37.04) 3:20.34 (38.06)
3:50.91 (30.57) 4:19.77 (28.86)
7 Loewen, Benjamin 04 Canada- 4:26.04 4:22.85 798
26.81 58.23 (31.42)
1:32.30 (34.07) 2:04.57 (32.27)
2:42.18 (37.61) 3:21.06 (38.88)
3:53.11 (32.05) 4:22.85 (29.74)
8 Staples, Joshua 04 Australia- 4:26.19 4:29.97 736
28.60 1:01.70 (33.10)
1:37.45 (35.75) 2:11.61 (34.16)
2:49.95 (38.34) 3:29.14 (39.19)
4:00.47 (31.33) 4:29.97 (29.50)
Women’s 800 Freestyle Relay
What Erin Gemmell did in the 800 free relay needs to be seen to be believe.
The American foursome trailed the Aussies by 3.18 seconds when Gemmell dove in. The Junior Pan Pacs 100 and 200 free champ showed why she’s destroyed meet records in both: The outsplit her Aussie opponent by 4.32 seconds, passing by her like she was standing still with about 30 meters to go en route to gold for the Americans.
The team of Kayla Wilson, Jillian Cox, Cavan Gormsen and Gemmell went 7:54.70, a meet cord by more than three seconds (from the 2018 Americans – Claire Tuggle, Isabel Ivey, Gretchen Walsh, Lille Nordmann).
With only Cox (1:59.32) under 2 minutes, it was kind of all about Gemmell. She blistered her way to a 1:54.86 split, markedly better than the meet record 1:56.15 she used to win the individual event or the best time of 1:56.14 she entered with. She carved out eight tenths on Australian anchor Milla Jansen in the first 100, then came back in 30.12-29.07 to Jansen’s 31.25-31.45.
Australia was moving, too. They were also under the meet record in 7:55.85, with the team of Jamie Perkins, Amelia Weber, Olivia Wunsch and Jansen. Perkins led off in 1:57.64 to get the Aussies clean water from the start.
Japan finished third in 8:01.38.
Event 16 Women 4x200 LC Meter Freestyle Relay
==================================================================================
Jr World: J 7:51.47 8/23/2017 Canada
K Sanchez, P Oleksiak, R Smith, T Ruck
Jr. Pan Pac: M 7:57.93 8/24/2018 USA, USA-US
C TUGGLE, I IVEY, G WALSH, L NORDMANN
Team Seed Finals FINA Points
==================================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 USA-US 'A' 7:52.65 7:54.70M 918 18
1) Wilson, Kayla 04 2) Cox, Jillian 05
3) Gormsen, Cavan 05 4) Gemmell, Erin 04
28.12 58.15 (58.15)
1:29.05 (1:29.05) 2:00.01 (2:00.01)
2:27.83 (27.82) 2:58.06 (58.05)
3:28.87 (1:28.86) 3:59.33 (1:59.32)
4:27.18 (27.85) 4:57.02 (57.69)
5:28.24 (1:28.91) 5:59.84 (2:00.51)
6:26.24 (26.40) 6:55.51 (55.67)
7:25.63 (1:25.79) 7:54.70 (1:54.86)
2 Australia 'A-AUS' 7:55.00 7:55.85M 912 14
1) Perkins, Jamie 05 2) Weber, Amelia 06
3) Wunsch, Olivia 06 4) Jansen, Milla 06
27.88 57.58 (57.58)
1:27.83 (1:27.83) 1:57.64 (1:57.64)
2:24.99 (27.35) 2:54.99 (57.35)
3:26.29 (1:28.65) 3:56.75 (1:59.11)
4:24.46 (27.71) 4:55.40 (58.65)
5:25.83 (1:29.08) 5:56.66 (1:59.91)
6:23.33 (26.67) 6:53.15 (56.49)
7:24.40 (1:27.74) 7:55.85 (1:59.19)
3 Japan 'A-JPN' 8:00.49 8:01.38 881 12
1) Umeki, Hinata 04 2) Okuzono, Misa 06
3) Ninomiya, Karin 04 4) Takezawa, Ruka 06
28.58 59.52 (59.52)
1:30.15 (1:30.15) 1:59.92 (1:59.92)
2:28.23 (28.31) 2:58.72 (58.80)
3:29.76 (1:29.84) 4:00.83 (2:00.91)
4:28.21 (27.38) 4:58.63 (57.80)
5:30.42 (1:29.59) 6:02.02 (2:01.19)
6:29.38 (27.36) 6:59.57 (57.55)
7:30.52 (1:28.50) 8:01.38 (1:59.36)
4 Canada 'A-CAN' 8:00.86 8:03.98 867 10
1) Jansen, Ella 05 2) Daley, Lilly 05
3) West, Mia 06 4) Liang, Christey 04
28.31 58.62 (58.62)
1:29.49 (1:29.49) 2:00.99 (2:00.99)
2:28.51 (27.52) 2:58.72 (57.73)
3:30.22 (1:29.23) 4:02.30 (2:01.31)
4:29.93 (27.63) 5:00.38 (58.08)
5:31.84 (1:29.54) 6:03.65 (2:01.35)
6:31.00 (27.35) 7:01.56 (57.91)
7:32.55 (1:28.90) 8:03.98 (2:00.33)
Men’s 800 Freestyle Relay
Speed out front and speed off the end: As a plan, that suited Australia just fine.
Flynn Southam, the 200 free champ, got the Aussies into clean water, and Joshua Staples anchored to put down a challenge by the pesky Americans. The result was a 7:13.07, a Junior Pan Pacs record that downed the Americans mark of 7:16.42 from 2018 (Jake Magahey, Drew Kibler, Dare Rose, Carson Foster). Anders McAlpine and Marcus Da Silva did the work on the middle legs.
Southam was out first in 1:47.30, a two-second lead over the Americans. The American strength in the middle dragged them to within .27 seconds on the final handoff. But a 1:47.84 by Staples put it away.
The U.S. was also inside the old record with the foursome of Henry McFadden, Thomas Heilman, Rex Maurer and Maximus Williamson going 7:15.18. Heilman was the quickest of the four in 1:47.98, .05 faster than Maurer.
Japan was third with Canada fourth.
Event 17 Men 4x200 LC Meter Freestyle Relay
==================================================================================
Jr World: J 7:08.37 8/23/2019 USA
J Magahey, L Urlando, J Mitchell, C Foster
Jr. Pan Pac: M 7:16.42 8/24/2018 USA, USA-US
J MAGAHEY, D KIBLER, O ROSE, C FOSTER
Team Seed Finals FINA Points
==================================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Australia 'A-AUS' 7:15.60 7:13.07M 902 18
1) Southam, Flynn 05 2) McAlpine, Anders 05
3) Da Silva, Marcus 06 4) Staples, Joshua 04
24.80 51.89 (51.89)
1:19.77 (1:19.77) 1:47.30 (1:47.30)
2:12.78 (25.48) 2:40.28 (52.98)
3:08.78 (1:21.48) 3:35.93 (1:48.63)
4:00.96 (25.03) 4:28.91 (52.98)
4:57.66 (1:21.73) 5:25.23 (1:49.30)
5:50.33 (25.10) 6:17.47 (52.24)
6:45.43 (1:20.20) 7:13.07 (1:47.84)
2 USA-US 'A' 7:16.53 7:15.18M 889 14
1) McFadden, Henry 05 2) Heilman, Thomas 07
3) Maurer, Rex 04 4) Williamson, Maximus 06
26.13 53.38 (53.38)
1:21.49 (1:21.49) 1:49.49 (1:49.49)
2:13.98 (24.49) 2:41.17 (51.68)
3:09.32 (1:19.83) 3:37.47 (1:47.98)
4:02.17 (24.70) 4:29.61 (52.14)
4:57.83 (1:20.36) 5:25.50 (1:48.03)
5:50.72 (25.22) 6:18.19 (52.69)
6:46.96 (1:21.46) 7:15.18 (1:49.68)
3 Japan 'A-JPN' 7:15.22 7:22.26 847 12
1) Kiriyama, Maki 05 2) Watanabe, Yuta 04
3) Scott, Tatsumi Edward 04 4) Matsushita, Tomoyuki 05
25.42 53.07 (53.07)
1:21.70 (1:21.70) 1:50.69 (1:50.69)
2:15.40 (24.71) 2:43.04 (52.35)
3:11.38 (1:20.69) 3:39.96 (1:49.27)
4:05.06 (25.10) 4:32.84 (52.88)
5:02.12 (1:22.16) 5:31.02 (1:51.06)
5:56.04 (25.02) 6:23.99 (52.97)
6:53.00 (1:21.98) 7:22.26 (1:51.24)
4 Canada 'A-CAN' 7:26.43 7:26.22 825 10
1) Wu, Adam 04 2) Dardis, Paul 06
3) Dagenais, Victor 04 4) Wigginton, Lorne 05
25.25 52.58 (52.58)
1:21.16 (1:21.16) 1:49.45 (1:49.45)
2:15.03 (25.58) 2:42.98 (53.53)
3:12.19 (1:22.74) 3:42.18 (1:52.73)
4:07.77 (25.59) 4:35.93 (53.75)
5:05.34 (1:23.16) 5:34.60 (1:52.42)
5:59.94 (25.34) 6:28.22 (53.62)
6:57.06 (1:22.46) 7:26.22 (1:51.62)