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Some of the best of the best young swimmers hope to make their Olympic Trials dreams come true as they head into day two of finals at the 2019 Speedo USA Junior Nationals.
Harvard swimmer Felicia Pasadyn, claims the gold in the women’s 200 backstroke with a fast time of 2:12.90. Swimming World named Maggie Wanezek and Kennedy Noble as the ‘age grouper of the month’ in the past year, and rightfully so, seeing that the two girls took the silver and the bronze after tonight’s finals.
Ian Grum claims not one, but two golds tonight in both the men’s 200 backstroke and the men’s 400 IM. Grum also broke the Championship Record in the 200 backstroke beating Alexander Katz’ record by .34 of a second with a time of 1:58.49.
The women in the A final of the 100 freestyle placed less than a second apart in this evening’s finals, with Miranda Heckman taking first and breaking the 56 second mark by going a time of 55.98. Every kick, pull, and breath counted towards who got their hand on the wall first and who qualified for Trials in tonights event.
Breaking the 50 second barrier in tonights 100 freestyle was top place finisher Hunter Armstrong with a time of 49.80, and Luke Maurer with a time of 49.90. Armstrong will be heading off to swim for West Virginia University this coming fall.
Similarly to the women, the men of the 100 freestyle A finals placed less than a second apart. Breaking the 50 second barrier in tonights event was Hunter Armstrong (49.80) and Luke Maurer (49.90).
Samantha Tadder drops over a second and half from prelims to claim the gold in the women’s 400 IM with a time of 4:46.96. Meanwhile 200 backstroke champion, Felicia Pasadyn claimed another medal by getting the silver with a time of 4:47.20.
Women’s 200 Backstroke
Olympic Trials cut: 2:14.69
Felicia Pasadyn, who is heading into her Freshman year at Harvard, drops nearly two seconds and five seeds to capture the Jr. National title in the women’s 200 backstroke with a time of 2:12.90. Pasadyn is off to a speedy start and hopes to remain strong as she prepares for the 400 IM later tonight.
Kennedy Noble placed sixth at the first three turns, but had a dominating finish to score her the silver with a time of 2:13.06. Another strong finisher was Maggie Wanezek who took the bronze with a time of 2:13.27.
Along with Pasadyn, Noble, and Wanezek, Katie Rauch (2:13.67), Alexandra Crisera (2:13.90), and Cora Dupre (2:13.99) all qualified for the 2020 Olympic Trials.
In seventh was Sophia Tuinman with a time of 2:14.81, and in eighth was Paige McCormick with a time of 2:15.69.
Also qualifying for Trials in this evenings 200 backstroke were swimmers Sophie Brison, Rosie Murphy, Skylar Dikeman, and Lillie Nordmann from the B finals.
Men’s 200 Backstroke
Olympic Trials cut: 2:02.99
Ian Grum went an impressive time of 1:58.49 to claim not only the gold, but the CR record. The previous record was set in 2013 by Alexander Katz with a time of 1:58.83. Grum will be attending the University of Georgia as part of the class of 2023.
Nathan Hayes came though in an outside by taking second place with a time of 2:01.43, and qualifying for the Olympic Trials.
Also qualifying for Trials this evening was Colby Mefford with a time of 2:02.01. Mefford hit the first wall in seventh place but made his way up to third by the finish to claim the bronze.
In fourth was top seed Jake Marcum with a time of 2:02.36, followed in fifth by Aaron Sequeira with a time of 2:03.26.
In sixth was Elliot Jones with a time of 2:04.26, in seventh was Christopher O’Connor with a time of 2:05.39, and placing eighth was Hunter Armstrong with a time of 2:10.81.
Women’s 100 Freestyle
Olympic Trials cut: 56.29
Miranda Heckman charges forward to take the lead in the women’s 100 freestyle. Heckman, who will be headed to the University of Texas this fall, was the only swimmer tonight who dipped under the 56 second mark going a time of 55.98.
Following only .11 of a second behind Heckman was Riley Francis with a time of 56.09. Francis dropped .48 of a second going from being seeded in seventh to finishing with a silver.
In a race for third, Tristen Ulett (56.19) just out touches Amelia Liu (56.20) by .01 of a second.
Following Ulett and Liu was another close race for fifth as Mandy Brenner went a 56.55 followed by Ella Bathurst with a time of 56.56.
In seventh was Quinn Schaedler (56.74), and in eighth was Chloe Stepanek (56.83).
Alongside the top four swimmers of the A finals, B finalist Gracie Felner and Reilly Tiltmann qualified for their Olympic Trials cuts.
Men’s 100 Freestyle
Olympic Trials cut: 50.49
Breaking the 50 second barrier in tonights 100 freestyle was top place finisher Hunter Armstrong with a time of 49.80, and Luke Maurer with a time of 49.90. Armstrong will be heading off to swim for West Virginia University this coming fall.
Brooks Curry just misses getting under the 50 second mark but still claims the bronze with a time of 50.08.
Also qualify for the Olympic Trials with the top three swimmers, was Jack Walker (50.31), Tim Connery (50.33), and Matthew Jensen (50.45).
Following .07 after Jensen was Finn O’Haimhirgin with a time of 50.52, and in eighth was Sam Hoover with a time of 50.72.
B finalist Andrew Benson also qualified for Trials with a time of 50.40.
Women’s 400 IM
Olympic Trials cut: 4:51.79
Samantha Tadder pulls ahead in the second half of her race to claim the Jr. Nationals title in the women’s 400 IM. Tadder went a time of 4:46.96, dropping over a second and a half from her prelims swim.
200 backstroke champion, Felicia Pasadyn used her adrenalin from her previous race to drop her from eighth place in the morning to second in finals. Pasadyn had a strong first half, getting to the wall first throughout the first 250m of the race, and finishing with a time of 4:47.20.
Along with Tadder and Pasadyn, Bronze medalist Colby Hurt (4:48.66), and fourth place finisher Kate McCarville (4:50.92) qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 400 IM.
In fifth was Annika McEnroe (4:52.00), in sixth was Zoe Dixon (4:54.50)m in seventh was Paige McCormick (4:55.33), and in eighth was Hannah Ownbey (4:55.38).
Not to be forgotten was B finalist Leah Hayes’ impeccable time of 4:46.48, which would have earned her the gold had she been in the A final. Along with Hayes, fellow B finalist Summer Smith qualified for Trials with a time of 4:47.79, which would have garnered her fourth place in A finals.
Men’s 400 IM
Olympic Trials cut: 4:25.99
Ian Grum takes home another gold tonight in the men’s 400 IM. Grum pushed through the burn as he nearly maintained first place throughout the course of the race. Grum had some solid splits in his race to end with a time of 4:23.84, which is over a second faster than his prelims time. Grum’s butterfly split was a 58.79, his backstroke split was a 1:06.84, his breaststroke split was a 1:18.74, and his freestyle split was a 59.47. Grum finished fast with a split of 28.99 in his final 50 of the race.
Taking home the silver was Jack Vandeusen with a time of 4:24.02, followed by the bronze medalist David Johnston with a time of 4:24.83.
Swimming just under the Olympic Trials cut was fourth place finisher Will Goodwin with a time of 4:25.59, and fifth place finisher Dominic Falcon with a time of 4:25.60.
In sixth was Hunter Kim (4:26.53), in seventh was Cameron Luarde (4:29.84), and in eighth was Garrett McGovern (4:31.16).
Kevin Keil of the B final went a time of 4:25.65, qualifying him for the Olympic Trials.
Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay
Brea Aquatics with swimmers, Justina Kozan, Marly Lough, Zephy Koh, and Emily Trieu were nearly two seconds ahead of the second place team in the the women’s 4×100 freestyle. The Brea Aquatics relay swimmers went a time of 3:46.95.
In second was Swimmac Carolina with swimmers, Janie Smith, Kensley Merritt, Maddy Flickinger, and Elizabeth Sowards with a time of 3:48.59.
Taking third place was the Long Island Aquatic Club with swimmers, Chloe Stepanek, Joanie Cash, Lauryn Johnson, and Tess Howley with a time of 3:49.11.
Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay
The Dynamo Swim club went a time of 3:23.01 breaking the old Championship Record of 3:24.48 by over a second. The swimmers on the record breaking Dynamo Swim Club relay were Brooks Curry, Cam Auerbach, Nicholas Goudie, and Ian Grum.
Taking second in the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay was Swimmac Carolina with swimmers, Jack Walker, Boyd Poelke, Hugh Svendsen, and Tim Connery with a time of 3:25.73.
In third place was Rose Bowl Aquatics with swimmers, Ronald Dalmacio, Rafael Gu, Mark McCrary, and Will Blake with a time of 3:27.07.
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