The 2016 Long Course YMCA Nationals kicked off tonight in Indianapolis. The first night of action featured prelims of the women’s and men’s 200 freestyle relays and timed finals of the 1500 freestyles.
The last event of the night was the most exciting. Cheshire’s Karl Bishop won the men’s 1500 for the second summer in a row. Tonight he posted a 15:35.36, 12 seconds better than he was last year. It was a battle to the finish though. Fifteen year old Ross Dant of Hickory touched second in 15:36.77. Wilton’s Robby Giller was third with a 15:42.97.
Hickory’s Emmaline Peterson finished five seconds short of the women’s 1500 YMCA National record with a 16:45.63. She crushed the field however, as Bosie’s Abbey Erwin was second in 17:05.24. There was another large drop off to third place. North Shore’s Nicole Welch earned bronze in 17:21.40.
Fanwood Scotch Plains took the top seed in the first event of the week. Marlise Moesch, Sarah Davis, Darlene Fung, and Amanda Banasiak combined for a 1:46.29 in the 200 freestyle relay. That time was just faster than Cheshire’s Elizabeth Boyer, Brooke Perrotta, Alexandra Tyler, and Tara Tiernan who finished in 1:46.94. Third seed went to Red Bank’s Ginger Hansen, Megan Judge, Karin Schienvar, and Shoshana Swell in 1:47.51.
The men from Upper Main Line took the week’s first relay top spot by over a second. Sam Hawke, Brian McKenrick, Brendan Burns, an Billy Beard will return first to tomorrow’s finals with a 1:35.71. Grove City’s Marcus Swartfager, Will Rastatter, Devin Reynolds, and Austin Wilson posted a second seeded 1:36.90. Right on their heels, Alex Ignatov, Lexo Walker, Hugo Sykes, and Erik Ryan of Wilton took the third spot with a 1:36.95.
Full results available on Meet Mobile.
