Alex Walsh, Drew Kibler Lead the Way for Knoxville Junior Nationals (Psych Sheet)

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

This weekend, USA Swimming will host two versions of its Winter Junior Championships (both in short course yards), one in Knoxville, Tenn. (East), and another in Iowa City, Iowa (West). Athletes are assigned which Juniors they may attend based on where they are from.

On the campus of the University of Tennessee at the East meet, 16-year-old Alex Walsh from the Nashville Aquatic Club (just a few hours’ drive from Knoxville) could be in store for big Winter Juniors meet for the third straight year. Walsh is the top seed in the women’s 200 IM, 100 breast and both the 100 and 200 back, and she’s also a potential contender in the 50 and 100 free.

Also holding the top seeds in multiple events are Madison Homovich, Kate Douglass and reigning Swimming World Female High School Swimmer of the Year Morgan Tankersley.

Homovich, representing the Marlins of Raleigh, is first in the 400 IM and 1650 free, while Chelsea Piers’ Douglass will be favored in the 50 and 100 free. Greater Tampa’s Tankersley will go for wins in the 200 and 500 free.

In the men’s meet Carmel’s, Drew Kibler leads the way in the 50, 100, 200 and 500 free, and he also ranks among the top six entrants in both the 100 and 200 back.

Kieran Smith, who took the silver medal in the 200 IM at the World Junior Championships, is the No. 1 seed in both the 200 and 400 IM, and Destin Lasco ranks first in the 100 and 200 back. But Lasco will have to watch out for Mason Manta Rays’ Carson Foster, who was the silver medalist in the 200 back at World Juniors this summer.

Click here to view the psych sheet for Junior Nationals East.

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