Daniel Diehl Wins Fifth Title at YMCA Nationals With 54.74 100 Backstroke
Over the first three days of the YMCA Nationals in Greensboro, N.C., Daniel Diehl captured wins in the 100 free, 200 free, 200 back and 50 back, with the 200 backstroke performance making Diehl the third-fastest 15-16 swimmer in U.S. history. Friday evening, the 16-year-old from Cumberland YMCA in Maryland finished first in his signature event, the 100 back. He swam a time of 53.59 earlier this year to break Ryan Murphy’s National Age Group record, and he was a finalist in the event at the International Team Trials in April. This time, Diehl finished in 54.74 to hold off Western Branch’s Tommy Janton (54.90) for his fifth individual win of the meet.
In the women’s 100 back, Fanwood Scotch’s Clare Logan put up a quick mark of 1:01.99 to take the win, while Greater Somerset County’s Megan Sharma won the 100 breast in 1:14.07. Spartanburg’s Kirsti McEnroe pulled away to win the 400 free in 4:23.76, and Upper Main Line’s Alexa Fulton won the 50 fly in 27.24. Greater Somerset’s Anna Moesch had the day off from individual events after already winning the 100 free, 200 free and 400 IM, but she led off her team’s 800 free relay in 2:01.31, and teammates Colleen Bull, Emily Thompson and Caitlyn Hughes held on to win in 8:25.49.
A brilliant finish for Upper Main Line’s Kevin Cary helped him produce a win in the men’s 400 free (4:04.68), and ME Lyons’ Jack Grandy hit the wall first in the men’s 100 breast (1:04.25). The men’s 50 fly win went to Lakeland Hills’ Finn Coogan Russell (24.82). To conclude the day of racing, Grandy anchored the ME Lyons team, which also included Justin Dostal, Alex Craft and Cam Craft, to an 800 free relay triumph in 7:42.21.