The first night of the 2017 Speedo Sectionals Columbus kicked off with a number of fast swims across all events. The field included both high schoolers and college swimmers alike. Recent Louisville graduate and NCAA finalist Andrea Cottrell was among tonight’s winners.
The night began with the women’s 800 freestyle. 14 year old Lola Mull of Mid-Michigan Aquatics dropped a whopping 21 seconds to take the win by nearly four seconds. Her time was 8:45.30. Molly Kowal, a rising sophomore at Ohio State, took second after Mull in 8:49.19. Emma Bradley was third in 8:55.89.
In the men’s 1500, Ohio State’s Austin Mortimer dropped 20 seconds to win in 15:55.38. He was followed by Skyler Cook-Weeks of Michigan Lakeshore in 15:58.72 for second. Carson Foster of the Mason Manta Rays finished third in 16:02.49.
Amanda Smith of the Northern KY Clippers won a tight race in the women’s 200 backstroke, touching first in 2:15.17. 14 year old Sophia Tuinman placed second in 2:15.56, just ahead of Emily Slabe who was third in 2:15.69.
Michigan Lakeshore’s Kyle Maas won the men’s 200 backstroke in a time of 2:02.22. Brad Shannon of Ohio State earned second place, touching in 2:03.57. Third place went to Justin Grender of the Cincinnati Marlins.
The women’s 50 freestyle came down to the touch, with Firestone Akron’s Madison Myers out-touching Ohio State’s Maria Coy for the win. Myers finished in 26.12, while Coy’s time was 26.15. Myers’s teammate Sadie Fazekas came in third in 26.31.
Like the women’s race, the top two finishers in the men’s 50 freestyle were separated by just .03. Upper Arlington’s Parker Neri got the win, touching first in 23.34, just ahead of Ohio State’s Nathan Christian, who was second in 23.37. A second Ohio State swimmer, Justin Dunn, placed third in 23.42.
U.S. National Team member Andrea Cottrell won the women’s 200 breaststroke handily in a time of 2:30.17. The race for second place was much closer. Paloma Marrero of Firestone Akron was the second place finisher in a time of 2:34.31, just ahead of 15 year old Hannah Bailey, who was third in 2:34.70.
Jacob Foster of the Mason Manta Rays dominated the men’s 200 breaststroke, finishing over two seconds ahead of the next closest swimmer in a time of 2:15.98. Representing Powel Crosley, Jonathan Rutter was second in 2:18.10. Grant House took third in 2:20.18.
The night concluded with the women’s 800 freestyle relay. The Ohio State Swim Club women dominated, winning by four seconds and breaking the meet record by two seconds with their time of 8:16.06. The Northern KY Clippers finished second in 8:20.41. Third went to the Mason Manta Rays in 8:27.63.
Results can be found on Meet Mobile.
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