While one Junior Nationals is going on in Knoxville, Tenn., the top 18-and-under swimmers from the western half of the United States will be in Iowa City, Iowa, to compete in the western version of Juniors.
Headlining the meet is Dakota Luther, who was a semi-finalist in the women’s 200 fly at the FINA World Championships this summer. Luther is the top seed in the 100 fly, and she will face off with Iowa-native Ruby Martin in what should be an excellent 200 fly battle.
Elsewhere, Texas Ford’s Gabrielle Kopenski is the top seed in the women’s 500 and 1650 free, while Metroplex Aquatics’ Vanessa Pearl is seeded first in both the 200 and 400 IM. Pearl is also second in the 100 and 200 breast, behind Fort Collins’ Zoe Bartel, who was the World Junior Champion in the 200-meter event.
Other highlights in the women’s meet include Lucie Nordmann, who is the top seed in the 100 free and the No. 2-ranked swimmer in the 200 free, 100 back and 200 back, and Julia Cook, who is tops in the 50 free and 100 back.
In the men’s competition, McFarland Spartan Sharks’ Daniel Krueger leads the field in the men’s 50 and 100 free and also should contend in the 200 free, and Patrick Callan is first in the 200 and 500 free.
Michael Brineger, who won bronze in the 800 free and silver in the 1500 free at the World Junior Championships, will be the top seed in the 1650 free and fourth in the 500 free, and 200 breast World Junior Champion Daniel Roy will be in action in his signature event.
Click here to view the psych sheet for Junior Nationals West.
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That’s a new one on me 🙂
Hey, thanks for publishing! 🙂