Race Video: Veronica Burchill, Alex Valente Top 100 Fly at Juniors

Editorial coverage for U.S. Junior Nationals proudly sponsored by Q Swimwear!

IRVINE, California, August 2. CARMEL kept rolling as Veronica Burchill won the women’s 100 fly, while Buenaventura’s Alex Valente took home the men’s 100 fly title at the USA Swimming Junior Nationals.

Women’s 100 fly

Carmel’s squad kept on cruising as its team just hasn’t missed a beat all week. Veronica Burchill powered to a 59.63 to win the junior national title. Burchill was faster this morning with a 59.28, but did enough to win this evening as three swimmers broke 1:00 in the A final. Duneland’s Vanessa Krause (59.80) and Longhorn’s Victoria Edwards (59.98) both broke 1:00 for the first time in their career tonight.

Redlands’ Sonia Wang (1:00.27), SwimAtlanta’s Haley McInerny (1:00.29), OC Waves’ Lindsey Engel (1:00.36), Aquazot’s Eva Merrell (1:00.58) and Quest’s Maddie Banic (1:01.05) also put up swims in the championship heat.

Chattahoochee Gold’s Lauren Case broke the 1:00 barrier for the first time with a sizzling effort of 59.63 to win the B final. That cleared her best of 1:00.37 from the Orlando stop of the Arena Grand Prix, and would have tied her for the junior national title tonight. SwimMAC’s Caitlin Casazza turned in a second-place time of 1:00.33, while Crown Point’s Aly Tetzloff placed third in 1:00.95. Both Casazza (1:00.95) and Tetzloff (1:01.31) served up personal bests in the consolation heat.

Fort Collins’ Bailey Nero captured the C final with a time of 1:00.74 as PASA’s Ally Howe snared second in 1:00.88. Nero downed her best of 1:00.81 from prelims with Howe missing her Austin Grand Prix time of 1:00.75. Royal’s Amy Okada took third overall in 1:01.19.

A Final

B Final

C Final

Men’s 100 fly

Buenaventura’s Alex Valente had a powerful swim this evening as he won in 53.09. That clipped the 53.10 he clocked this morning that stands as his personal best. He has now dropped a second from last year as his best effort a year ago was a 54.20 at these junior national championships. Azura’s Luis Martinez snared silver with a time of 53.34 while 15-year-old pro Michael Andrew posted a best time of 53.46. That not only beat the 53.90 he posted this morning but moved him to sixth all time in the 15-16 age division. He has a ways to go to catch up to Justin Lynch’s 52.75 national age group record from 2013.

PASA’s Andrew Liang (53.94), Rose Bowl’s Sascha Subarsky (54.16), Central Bucks’ Greg Brocato (54.21), FAST’s Max Holter (54.31) and Peddie’s Patrick Park (54.72) also competed in the finale.

Pleasanton’s Maxime Rooney broke through 54 seconds with a B final winning time of 53.85. His lifetime best had been a 54.44 from prelims this morning, and he had just enough final stretch speed to separate himself from the pack. AGUA’s Michael Domagala (54.62) and Nitro’s Mason Tenney (54.85) chased down second and third in the consolation heat tonight.

Charger’s Anthony Kim won the C final in the 100 fly with a time of 54.93. That’s his first time under 55 seconds after posting a lifetime best 55.32 this morning. Upper Dublin’s Michael Jensen picked up second-place honors in the heat with a time of 55.20, while Dynamo’s Derek Cox took third overall in 55.26.

A Final

B Final

C Final

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