Carmel Girls Swim 1:39 200 Medley Relay at High School Sectionals; Could Challenge National Record at State
Next week, Carmel High School will aim for a 37th consecutive Indiana state title in girls’ swimming and diving, and the Greyhounds could chase some national standards in that pursuit. In Carmel’s final tune-up meet before State, a Sectionals meet held at their home pool, the foursome of Berit Berglund, Molly Sweeney, Alex Shackell and Meghan Christman finished just over a second off the National High School record in the 200 medley relay.
The group posted time of 1:39.26, while the national record sits at 1:38.13, established by Fossil Ridge’s Bayley Stewart, Zoe Bartel, Coleen Gillilan and Kylee Alons in 2018. Last season, the Carmel team of Berglund, Vivian Wilson, Shackell and Christman swam as fast as 1:38.55 (and 1:38.86 in prelims) to set a new Indiana state record. Outside of high school competition, Berglund, Sweeney, Shackell and Christman set a 15-18 national age group record in the event at U.S. Junior Nationals in December, clocking 1:36.48.
Already, this year’s Sectionals squad matched or bettered all of last year’s splits except for Berglund on backstroke. The Texas commit split 25.32 at Sectionals, but she has been as quick as 23.89 in the past. If Berglund can return to top speed by next week’s State meet (and her history suggests she will drop substantial time), the national record will be in jeopardy. Last season, Carmel’s season-best time prior to State was 1:41.36, and the swimmers are already two seconds clear of that pace.
In addition to the medley relay, Carmel won each swimming event contested in Saturday’s finals. Shackell placed first in the 50 freestyle (22.42) and 100 butterfly (52.12), with her time in the latter event falling just short of the state record of 51.71 she set last season. Berglund won the 100 back in 54.31, well off her state record of 51.50 established last year, while Sweeney, a freshman, posted wins in the 200 IM (2:00.58) and 100 breaststroke (1:01.94).
3 of the 4 girls on relay were unsuited at sectional finals.