Katie Grimes Shatters NAG Record in 400 IM; Clocks No. 4 Performance In History At Winter Juniors-West

Katie Grimes Shatters NAG in 400 IM; Clocks No. 4 Performance In History At Winter Juniors-West

When Katie Grimes first emerged as a get-to-know name in the sport, it was due to her prowess in the distance-freestyle events. But over time, the 16-year-old’s versatility has become more well-known, and she put her multi-stroke talent on display during Night Three of the Winter Junior Championships-West in Austin.

Behind a performance of 3:57.02, Grimes (Sandpipers) smashed the 15-16 National Age Group record, and also went quicker than the NAG mark in the 17-18 class. Grimes’ effort is the No. 4 performance in history and easily bettered the 15-16 NAG of Dagny Knutson, which had stood at 4:00.62 since the 2008 season. Grimes was also more than a second quicker than the 17-18 NAG of Ella Eastin, an outing of 3:58.40.

While Grimes first earned major recognition for qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games as a distance-freestyler, she earned a silver medal in the 400 individual medley at last summer’s World Championships in Budapest. With the 2024 Olympics fast approaching in Paris, Grimes figures to contend for Games invitations in a number of disciplines.

During her latest showcase, she went out in 53.59 for the butterfly portion of the race and turned in a backstroke split of 58.62. A breaststroke split of 1:11.14 was followed by a freestyle closure of 53.67.

Grimes’ swim in the 400 IM jumpstarted another spectacular night for the Sandpipers of Nevada, who has been the headliner team in Austin. Bella Sims, Grimes and Claire Weinstein went one-two-three for Sandpipers in the 200 freestyle, with Sims clocking 1:41.10. Grimes and Weinstein followed in respective marks of 1:43.83 and 1:43.93. Sims was also the winner of the 100 backstroke, as her 50.53 comfortably won the event over Teagan O’Dell (51.86). In the process, Sims broke the Juniors meet record of 50.58 set by Regan Smith in 2018.

Results

 Event 13  Women 400 Yard IM
=========================================================================
     Jrs West: * 3:57.02  12/9/2022 Katie Grimes, SAND -CA
  SC Jrs Meet: # 3:57.02  12/9/2022 Katie Grimes, SAND -CA
   Texas Pool: P 3:57.03            Ella Eastin
 Meet Qualifying:  4:30.69
    Name                  Age Team              Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Grimes, Katie          16 SAND-CA           4:03.04    3:57.02*  20  
    r:+0.69  25.10        53.59 (28.49)
        1:23.17 (29.58)     1:52.21 (29.04)
        2:27.75 (35.54)     3:03.35 (35.60)
        3:30.71 (27.36)     3:57.02 (26.31)
  2 Kozan, Asia            17 MVN-CA            4:16.24    4:07.27   17  
    r:+0.65  26.34        56.72 (30.38)
        1:28.79 (32.07)     2:00.42 (31.63)
        2:35.07 (34.65)     3:10.54 (35.47)
        3:39.35 (28.81)     4:07.27 (27.92)
  3 Han, Kayla             14 RMDA-CA           4:10.82    4:07.77   16  
    r:+0.72  26.65        56.96 (30.31)
        1:28.09 (31.13)     1:59.18 (31.09)
        2:35.01 (35.83)     3:11.15 (36.14)
        3:39.99 (28.84)     4:07.77 (27.78)
  4 O'Sullivan, Abby       17 MVN-CA            4:15.99    4:14.97   15  
    r:+0.72  27.51        58.51 (31.00)
        1:30.98 (32.47)     2:02.51 (31.53)
        2:39.62 (37.11)     3:16.84 (37.22)
        3:46.67 (29.83)     4:14.97 (28.30)
  5 McCarthy, Katie        18 EDI-MN            4:17.26    4:15.19   14  
    r:+0.62  26.78        57.88 (31.10)
        1:30.06 (32.18)     2:01.70 (31.64)
        2:39.56 (37.86)     3:19.11 (39.55)
        3:47.66 (28.55)     4:15.19 (27.53)
  6 Bricker, Caroline      17 PPA-CO            4:15.87    4:15.42   13  
    r:+0.70  26.33        56.21 (29.88)
        1:29.87 (33.66)     2:02.40 (32.53)
        2:38.44 (36.04)     3:15.13 (36.69)
        3:45.97 (30.84)     4:15.42 (29.45)
  7 Clift, Elise           16 MAC-NT            4:16.68    4:20.78   12  
    r:+0.70  27.69      1:00.14 (32.45)
        1:32.69 (32.55)     2:03.71 (31.02)
        2:43.84 (40.13)     3:23.70 (39.86)
        3:52.91 (29.21)     4:20.78 (27.87)
 -- Steinmetz, Teagan      18 DSA-CO            4:16.44         DQ  
      Alternating Kick - fly
             26.98        57.73 (30.75)
        1:30.87 (33.14)     2:03.87 (33.00)
        2:39.63 (35.76)     3:15.97 (36.34)
        3:47.38 (31.41)          DQ (30.45)

 Event 17  Women 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
     Jrs West: * 1:40.78  12/7/2022 Bella Sims, Sandpipers Of Ne
  SC Jrs Meet: # 1:40.78  12/7/2022 Bella Sims, Sandpipers Of Ne
   Texas Pool: P 1:40.26            Mallory Comerford
 Meet Qualifying:  1:52.59
    Name                  Age Team              Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Sims, Bella            17 SAND-CA           1:44.81    1:41.10   20  
    r:+0.57  23.38        48.78 (25.40)
        1:15.06 (26.28)     1:41.10 (26.04)
  2 Grimes, Katie          16 SAND-CA           1:45.95    1:43.83   17  
    r:+0.69  24.60        51.10 (26.50)
        1:17.94 (26.84)     1:43.83 (25.89)
  3 Weinstein, Claire      15 SAND-CA           1:45.13    1:43.93   16  
    r:+0.77  24.50        50.82 (26.32)
        1:17.49 (26.67)     1:43.93 (26.44)
  4 O'Dell, Teagan         16 MVN-CA            1:45.15    1:43.94   15  
    r:+0.73  24.20        50.79 (26.59)
        1:17.25 (26.46)     1:43.94 (26.69)
  5 Hartman, Bailey        16 CROW-PC           1:46.58    1:44.56   14  
    r:+0.73  24.66        51.12 (26.46)
        1:18.23 (27.11)     1:44.56 (26.33)
  6 Hodges, Macky          18 SAND-CA           1:46.27    1:45.69   13  
    r:+0.71  24.38        50.83 (26.45)
        1:17.84 (27.01)     1:45.69 (27.85)
  7 Hebert, Madeleine      17 TRA-CA            1:46.25    1:45.76   12  
    r:+0.72  24.68        51.71 (27.03)
        1:19.05 (27.34)     1:45.76 (26.71)
  8 Mintenko, Madi         15 PPA-CO            1:45.66    1:45.93   11  
    r:+0.81  24.72        51.86 (27.14)
        1:19.19 (27.33)     1:45.93 (26.74)

 Event 21  Women 100 Yard Backstroke
=========================================================================
     Jrs West: * 50.58  12/6/2018 Regan Smith, Riptide
  SC Jrs Meet: # 50.58  12/6/2018 Regan Smith, Riptide
   Texas Pool: P 49.18            Beata Nelson
 Meet Qualifying:  58.09
    Name                  Age Team              Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Sims, Bella            17 SAND-CA             52.11      50.53*  20  
             24.88        50.53 (25.65)
  2 O'Dell, Teagan         16 MVN-CA              53.14      51.86   17  
             25.36        51.86 (26.50)
  3 Kern, Emma             17 AQJT-MN             52.12      52.17   16  
             25.03        52.17 (27.14)
  4 Rabb, Grace            16 AQJT-MN             53.04      52.79   15  
             25.42        52.79 (27.37)
  5 Berlin, Alana          15 SSTY-WI             52.73      52.85   14  
             25.57        52.85 (27.28)
  6 Wilson, Charlotte      16 TOPS-CO             53.34      52.89   13  
             25.71        52.89 (27.18)
  7 Hodges, Macky          18 SAND-CA             53.48      53.58   12  
             26.04        53.58 (27.54)
  8 Smith, Adriana         17 OAPB-PC             53.88      54.03   11  
             26.03        54.03 (28.00)

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