Junior Pan Pacs: Meet Records Continue Disappearing Act, Lia Neal Lowers 50 Free U.S. National Age Group Record, Paige Schultz Downs Canadian NAG

GUAM, January 11. THE Junior Pan Pacs meet record book continued to be rewritten at a feverish pace during the final day of swimming in Guam. Meanwhile, American Lia Neal lowered her 50 free U.S. National Age Group record. Additionally, Paige Schultz took down a Canadian National Age Group standard.

While swimming in the pool has come to an end, the meet will not be complete until 10K open water competition results are reported.

Women's 200 IM
American Dagny Knutson crushed the competition in the sprint medley event with a meet-record time of 2:10.79. The effort, which wiped out her preliminary meet standard of 2:13.45, is not too far off from Katie Hoff's American record of 2:09.71 in the event. Knutson's preliminary record broke the 2007 standard of 2:16.72 set by Mary Beck of the U.S.

Hoff's biggest threat heading towards 2012 may not be Australia's Stephanie Rice, but could come from within the U.S. with Knutson progressing the way she has recently.

Elizabeth Pelton ripped off a time of 2:12.07 to win silver for the U.S., while Canada's Paige Schultz, 17, took bronze in 2:15.57.

Schultz' time surpassed an 18-year-old Canadian National Age Group record for the 15-17 division. Nancy Sweetnam set the previous record with a 2:15.61 in 1990 before Schultz was even born.

"I really wanted that record," Schultz told Swimming Canada. "I had come close last summer and I knew this was going to be an excellent chance to do it and it also got me the medal. I've raced Ellen several times before and I knew she was going to make a late charge to the finish but I was confident too."

Men's 200 IM
The U.S. went back-to-back as Nick D'Innocenzo touched out Japan's Yuya Horihata, 2:02.58 to 2:02.95, for the meet record. Both swimmers became the first under 2:03 as Stephen Parkes of Australia set the previous standard with a 2:03.05 in 2007. D'Innocenzo used a strong back half to emerge victorious as Horihata had turned in front at the midway mark, 59.35 to 59.71. Austin Surhoff gave the U.S. a 1-3 finish with a bronze-winning 2:03.35.

Women's 50 free
The women's splash-and-dash proved to be an exciting one as Australia's Brittany Elmslie edged American 13-year-old Lia Neal, 25.80 to 25.82. Neal's time, however, did edge her U.S. National Age Group record of 25.88 set last year.

It could be scary what she does to that 13-14 standard as a 14-year-old when she ages up a year on February 13.

"It is exciting for everyone involved, especially the team," Neal's head coach Brian Brown at Asphalt Green told Swimming World at the CeraVe Invitational "We're just trying to keep her on solid ground with her training and technique. We are not specifying the 50 free, and feel it is important to develop all of her distances. We're really taking the long term approach with Lia, and trying not to rush her."

Kasey Carlson of the U.S. rounded out the top three with a bronze-winning 25.91.

Men's 50 free
The men's sprint free featured another meet record as Japan's Kenta Ito clipped the previous standard with a winning time of 22.90. That performance eclipsed the 22.92 set by China's Zhiwu Lu in 2007. Australia's Tommaso D'Orsogna captured silver with a time of 22.96, while New Zealand's Daniel Bell claimed bronze in 23.00.

Women's 200 breast
Japan's Keiko Fukudome smacked the previous meet record with a time of 2:26.92, far surpassing the 2:28.05 set by compatriot Yuumi Murakami in 2007. Australia's duo of Tessa Wallace (2:27.69) and Samantha Marshall (2:27.99) also cleared the previous record to round out the podium.

Men's 200 breast
In an event with a strong role model such as multiple Olympic gold medalist Kosuke Kitajima, it's not too surprising that Japan went 1-2 in an international age group competition. Akihiro Yamaguchi (2:14.93) and Keita Sameshima (2:16.80) snatched gold and silver for Japan. Australia's Jeremy Meyer held off American Nick D'Innocenzo, 2:17.42 to 2:17.84, for bronze.

Women's 1500 free
The distance events took center stage with the U.S. topping the podium. Haley Anderson put together a strong swim of 16:30.81 for the win, while teammate Amber McDermott finished with the silver in 16:34.58. Canada's Zsofia Balazs grabbed the bronze in 16:36.70.

Men's 800 free
Australia's Ryan Napoleon crushed the meet record in the men's distance event with a time of 7:58.66. The effort, the first sub-8:00 performance in meet history, beat the 8:01.97 set by compatriot Stephen Penfold in 2001. Japan's Jumpei Higashi placed second with a time of 8:06.04, while Ned McKendry of Australia took third in 8:07.90.

Women's 400 medley relay
The U.S. contingent of Elizabeth Pelton (1:01.98), Kasey Carlson (1:08.17) and Lauren Harrington (1:01.19) stood fourth heading into the final relay exchange. However, Dagny Knutson pulled off a Lezak-like anchor with a smoking fast time of 54.70 to help the U.S. to gold in 4:06.04. That effort smashed the meet record of 4:09.06 set by the Aussies in 2007.

The U.S. overtook the Canadian quartet of Sinead Russell, Amanda Reason, Kendra Chernoff and Hannah Riordan (4:06.25), the Australian foursome of Grace Loh, Samantha Marshall, Amy Smith and Brittany Elmslie (4:06.31) and the Japanese squad of Shiho Sakai, Sayuna Sugiyama, Natsuki Akiyama and Shiori Kaneko (4:06.47). All four teams surpassed the previous meet record.

Men's 400 medley relay
New Zealand's team of Gareth Kean (56.27), Starn Simpson (1:02.54), Daniel Bell (51.66) and Cameron Burrows (51.60) held off a furious charge from Australia's Tommaso D'Orsogna to post a meet-record time of 3:42.07 for the win. The performance clipped the 3:42.25 set by the Australians in 2007.

D'Orsogna almost made up a three-second difference heading into the anchor leg with a split of 48.65. The Australian contingent of Jared Goldthorpe, Jeremy Meyer, Lachlan Staples and D'Orsogna had to settle for silver, though, with a 3:42.16.

The U.S. foursome of Patrick Murphy, Nick D'Innocenzo, Timothy Phillips and Shayne Fleming snared bronze with a time of 3:43.26.

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