18-year-old Emma Weyant of Sarasota swam an impressive 400 IM on Friday night in her home town with a 4:04.48 to take the lead at the USA Swimming 18 & under virtual championships. Weyant’s swim puts her 11th all-time in the 17-18 age group as she improved on her 4:07.63 from April 2019 as she is taking a gap year from the University of Virginia and training at home in Sarasota, Florida with coach Brent Arckey ahead of the Olympic Trials.
Weyant was the 2019 national champion in the 400 IM in long course meters where she was ranked sixth in the world in 2019 and was in line to compete to be on her first Olympic team. Weyant finished well ahead of Nation’s Capital Sophie Duncan, who had the fastest time in the USA Swimming virtual 18 & under championships at 4:11.75.
Weyant’s time is also quicker than Virginia’s Ella Nelson (4:05.02) this season, who sits third nationally behind Stanford freshman Brooke Forde (4:02.90) and Cal’s Alicia Wilson (4:04.10).
18 & under championships leaderboard:
- Emma Weyant, Sarasota, 4:04.48
- Sophie Duncan, Nation’s Capital, 4:11.75
- Kate McCarville, Springfield Aquatics, 4:12.22
- Summer Smith, Bluefish, 4:12.50
- Julia Podkoscielny, Pine Crest, 4:12.91
- Eleanor Sun, Nation’s Capital, 4:14.25
- Catherine Purnell, Unattached, 4:14.37
- Jordan Durocher, Nation’s Capital, 4:15.22
Emma Weyant also won the 200 freestyle with a 1:45.28, which is the third fastest time in the virtual 18 & under championships behind fellow future Cavalier Gretchen Walsh (1:44.66) and Stanford commit Torri Huske (1:43.23).
200 Free Leaderboard
- Torri Huske, Arlington Aquatic Club, 1:43.23
- Gretchen Walsh, Nashville Aquatic Club, 1:44.66
- Emma Weyant, Sarasota, 1:45.28
- Blair Stoneburg, Treasure Coast Aquatics, 1:46.28
- Hayden Miller, Cypress Fairbanks Swim Club, 1:46.47
- Erin Gemmell, Nation’s Capital, 1:46.49
- Ella Ristic, Unattached, 1:46.62
- Kiley Wilhelm, Lifetime Swim Team, 1:46.81
Weyant’s sister Gracie Weyant also took a win in the 100 breaststroke at 1:03.06 at just 15-years-old while South Carolina grad Nils Wich-Glasen won the men’s race at 54.08 and Florida grad Grant Sanders won the 400 IM at 3:46.95.
Gloria Cardoni Kay Weyant Michael Cardoni