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The final day of preliminaries at the 2019 Speedo Junior Nationals in Palo Alto, California featured the 200 IM and 50 freestyle for both men and women. Heats of the women’s 1500 and men’s 800 freestyles will begin prior to finals.
13-year-old Leah Hayes stole the show on day five, blasting a 2:14.81 200 IM. The swim was nearly a three-second drop, and bumped her to second all time in the 13-14 age group rankings. Other top seeds went to Tim Connery, Emma Wheal and Hunter Armstrong.
Order of Events:
- Women’s 200 IM
- Men’s 200 IM
- Women’s 50 Freestyle
- Men’s 50 Freestyle
Women’s 200 IM
Olympic Trials Cut: 2:17.39
TIDE 13-year-old Leah Hayes blasted a big best time of 2:14.81 to lead the prelims of the women’s 200 IM. The swim moves her from twenty-seventh to second in the all-time 13-14 rankings. She is second only to Missy Franklin who holds the National Age Group Record at 2:12.73.
BREA’s Justina Kozan posted a solid morning swim of 2:16.62 for seance. She was joined by Felicia Pasadyn (2:17.11) and Zoe Dixon (2:17.18) under the Olympic Trials standard.
Samantha Tadder (2:17.54), Tristen Ulett (2:17.66), Colby Hurt (2:17.71) and Sam Baron (2:17.83) took fifth through eighth to earn a spot in the championship final.
Men’s 200 IM
Olympic Trials Cut: 2:04.09
Tim Connery blasted a 2:01.58 200 IM to take the top seed headed into the final. Arsenio Bustos earned his Olympic Trials cut in the event, going a best time of 2:03.99.
Zach Hills continued his successful meet with a 2:04.89 for third. He was followed closely by Baylor Nelson (2:05.00) and Jack Meehan (2:05.01).
Will Goodwin took sixth (2:05.34) while Tona Zinn was seventh (2:05.51) and Ansei Froass was eighth (2:05.62).
Women’s 50 Freestyle
Olympic Trials Cut: 25.99
Emma Wheal maintained her top seed with a 25.47 to win the heats. Mason Manta Ray Cora Dupree was just one tenth off her best time for second in 25.58. Lindsay Flynn (25.78) and Amelia Liu (25.95) also finished under the Olympic Trials cut for third and fourth.
Joining them in the top heat will be 14-year-old Zoe Skirboll (26.04), CITI’s Alexandra Crisera (24.09), TEAM’s Lexie Mulvihill (26.13) and RSD’s Rachel Rhee (26.25).
Men’s 50 Freestyle
Olympic Trials Cut: 23.19
18-year-old Hunter Armstrong blasted a dominant 22.74 to win the heats of the 50 freestyle. The time was over half a second better than his entry. August Lamb just missed out on the Trials standard, coming in second at 23.26. Matt King was also in the mix at 23.32.
Coleman Kredich (23.40) and Brooks Curry (23.40) tied for fourth, while Liam Bell took sixth in 23.43. Luke Maurer swam a best time for seventh (23.44) and was followed by Nicholas Goudie (23.45) of Dynamo.
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