The Week That Was: World, American, NAG Records Highlight The Week That Was

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

This week saw club teams across the country meet for fast short course yard racing at the Speedo Winter Junior National meets in Atlanta and Austin, while the best of the best from the United States and Europe battled it out in short course meters at the 2015 Duel in the Pool in Indy. Read below to see the top performances from this week and catch up on all of the records broken across the country!

The Week That was is supported by AgonSwim.com

#5: Alex Walsh Arrives With Two NAGs at Winter Juniors – East

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Photo Courtesy: Donna Nelson

Alex Walsh lit up the pool at Winter Juniors – East, announcing herself as a name to watch for in the coming years when she took down a 13-14 National Age Group Record set by one of the U.S.A.’s most decorated swimmers ever. Walsh touched in 1:56.20 to destroy Missy Franklin’s 13-14 200 IM record of 1:57.70 that was set back in 2010. Not to be stopped, the 14 year-old set another new NAG record the following day in the 100 backstroke, touching in 51.62. That swim broke Kathleen Baker’s previous record of 52.87 by over a second.

#4: Michael Andrew Sets Multiple NAG Records At Winter Juniors – West

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Photo Courtesy: Singapore Swimming Federation

Michael Andrew had a great meet at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals – West, setting three 15-16 National Age Group Records. On the first night of competition, Andrew downed Andrew Seliskar’s 2013 record of 1:44.03. He first clipped it in the morning, touching in 1:43.94, before smashing through the 1:43 barrier at night to go 1:42.77. Andrew then followed that up the next day with two more NAG records, this time in the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke.

In the butterfly he finished just behind Ryan Hoffer in 46.23, while in the 100 breaststroke where he touched in 52.21 to run away with the event. Andrew broke both records in prelims before lowering them in finals. Interestingly, across the country Reece Whitley and Camden Murphy were right behind Andrew in the breaststroke and butterfly events. Murphy actually re-broke the NAG record set during prelims before Andrew took it back that night in finals.

#3: Ryan Hoffer, Katie Drabot Light Up Pool At Winter Juniors – West

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Photo Courtesy: Melissa Lundie

Ryan Hoffer and Katie Drabot also had huge weekends at the Winter Junior – West meet at the University of Texas. Drabot completed a monster schedule that included 5 straight individual wins before coming in second to Canadian Taylor Ruck in the 200 freestyle on the third night of the meet. All told, Drabot finished the meet with six individual wins: she touched first in the 50, 100 and 500 freestyles, the 200 IM and 400 IM, and 100 butterfly.

Hoffer also collected an impressive amount of victories, taking the 50 free (19.06), 100 backstroke (45.58), 100 butterfly (45.46) before an incredible 100 freestyle on the last night. With that swim he capped off his incredible weekend with a lightning fast 41.23 in the 100 freestyle, smashing Caleb Dressel’s 17-18 NAG record and just behind Nathan Adrian’s American Record of 41.08 from 2009. That swim placed the Scottsdale Aquatic swimmer as the second fastest American performer of all-time.

#2: NAG Records, American Records Highlight NCAP Invitational

Photo Courtesy: Brenton Tse

The 2015 NCAP Invitational saw a handful of NAG records go down as well, with Reece Whitley and Brett Feyerick walking away with records on the third night. On the second day of the meet, Reece Whitley just missed the 15-16 100 breaststroke mark after Michael Andrew set it at Junior Nationals – West. He did walk away with the win and best time in the event, touching in 52.56. Whitley did set an new 15-16 NAG record in the 200 breaststroke on the final night of the meet, touching in 1:53.66 to down Andrew Seliskar’s previous record. Youngster Brett Feyerick also set a new 11-12 NAG record in the 50 backstroke.

But the biggest swim came on the fourth night of the meet, when Katie Ledecky became the first woman in history to break 9:00 in the 1,000 freestyle. That swim smashed Katie Hoff’s previous record of 9:10.77 from 2007 and gave Ledecky the 500, 1,000, and 1,650 American records in short course yards. Ledecky also put up some strong performances through the first three days of the meet, grabbing first in the 200 freestyle (1:41.04), 400 IM (4:01.69), and the 500 freestyle, where she touching in a 4:28.17 on the third night of the meet.

#1: World, American Records Tumble at Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

This week the teams of the United States and the European All-Stars met in Indianapolis for the second Duel in the Pool between the two contingents. There was no shortage of star power, with the likes of American superstars Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, Simone Manuel, and Matt Grevers going to battle with European stars Katinka Hosszu, Laszlo Cseh, and Ranomi Kromowidjojo.

The U.S. team prevailed, 155 to 107, and while the meet was not the nail-biter that it was 2 years ago (remind yourself of the insane 132-131 U.S. tiebreaker win here) there was plenty of record-breaking to keep things interesting. That included fifteen American records across both days as well as three world records. The first world record came on the first day of competition, courtesy of the U.S. women’s 400 medley relay of Courtney Bartholomew, Katie Mieli, Kelsi Worrell, and Simone Manuel. The next day, Matt Grevers and Ranomi Kromowidjojo broke two world records in the 100 backstroke and 50 freestyle, respectively.

To see the most comprehensive coverage from the meet, visit our Event Landing Page to see all available race videos, interviews, recaps, and results.

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