Drew Kibler, Alex Shackell, Aaron Shackell, Daniel Diehl Swim World-Class Times at Indianapolis Sectionals
Many top high school swimmers plus one professional converged at the IUPUI Natatorium this weekend for a USA Swimming Sectionals meet held in long course (unlike most spring meets conducted in short course yards). That professional, Drew Kibler, posted a 1:45 200 freestyle among his four wins while Carmel-trained siblings Alex Shackell and Aaron Shackell plus National-Age-Group-record holder Daniel Diehl all posted quality performances as well.
Kibler, now back training at Carmel after a successful college career at Texas, swam a time of 1:45.82 in the 200 free, just eight tenths off his best time of 1:45.01 which helped him finish fourth in the event at last year’s World Championships. For some comparison, Kibler went 1:47.94 in a sixth-place finish in the event at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale earlier this month. Kibler also swam a time of 48.89 in the 100 free (after a 48.95 100 free relay leadoff), and he added wins in the 50 free (22.23) and 400 free (3:52.25). Kibler was part of the U.S. men’s 800 free relay squad that won gold at Worlds.
Aaron Shackell, best known for winning gold in the 200 butterfly at last year’s Junior Pan Pacific Championships and breaking the national high school record in the 200-yard free last month, finished second to Kibler in the 200 and 400-meter races. He swam a time of 1:47.70 in the 200, only about a second off what it takes to qualify for a U.S. national final in the event, and 3:52.42 in the 400 as Kibler just out-split him at the end. Shackell also won the 800 free (8:08.96).
His younger sister, Alex, had four individual wins: in the 50 free (25.25), 100 fly (58.43), 200 fly (2:10.90) and 100 free (55.08, 54.87 in prelims). Shackell will also be in position to make an impact at this summer’s U.S. Nationals, a meet scheduled for the same pool in Indianapolis. Shackell also split 54.45 on a Carmel 400 free relay and 1:59.49 on an 800 free relay.
Diehl, a 17-year-old representing Cumberland YMCA in Maryland, was a finalist in the 100 backstroke at last year’s U.S. International Team Trials, and the 100 back was one of his four individual wins. He swam times of 1:56.59 in the 200 back, 53.03 in the 100 fly, 53.70 in the 100 back and 2:00.18 in the 200 IM.
La Mirada’s Kayla Han, 14, was the final swimmer to claim four individual wins, and her triumphs came in the four longest events on the program: the 800 free (8:36.60), 400 IM (4:43.80), 400 free (4:11.34) and 1650 free (16:26.92). Carmel’s Molly Sweeney won three events, the 200 breaststroke (2:28.34), 100 breaststroke (1:08.83) and 200 IM (2:13.52), and teammate Berit Berglund put up a time of 1:01.00 in the 100 back. Fishers Area’s Jo Jo Ramey won the 200 back in 2:10.27.
You neglected to mention Luke Whitlock. An up and coming distance freestyler who ended the weekend with 2 Trial cuts while narrowly missing a 3rd. He won the 1500, as well. Luke is on the same team as Ramey.
Great article!
1500 free