Katie Grimes Shatters NAG in 400 IM; Clocks No. 4 Performance In History At Winter Juniors-West
When Katie Grimes first emerged as a get-to-know name in the sport, it was due to her prowess in the distance-freestyle events. But over time, the 16-year-old’s versatility has become more well-known, and she put her multi-stroke talent on display during Night Three of the Winter Junior Championships-West in Austin.
Behind a performance of 3:57.02, Grimes (Sandpipers) smashed the 15-16 National Age Group record, and also went quicker than the NAG mark in the 17-18 class. Grimes’ effort is the No. 4 performance in history and easily bettered the 15-16 NAG of Dagny Knutson, which had stood at 4:00.62 since the 2008 season. Grimes was also more than a second quicker than the 17-18 NAG of Ella Eastin, an outing of 3:58.40.
While Grimes first earned major recognition for qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games as a distance-freestyler, she earned a silver medal in the 400 individual medley at last summer’s World Championships in Budapest. With the 2024 Olympics fast approaching in Paris, Grimes figures to contend for Games invitations in a number of disciplines.
During her latest showcase, she went out in 53.59 for the butterfly portion of the race and turned in a backstroke split of 58.62. A breaststroke split of 1:11.14 was followed by a freestyle closure of 53.67.
Grimes’ swim in the 400 IM jumpstarted another spectacular night for the Sandpipers of Nevada, who has been the headliner team in Austin. Bella Sims, Grimes and Claire Weinstein went one-two-three for Sandpipers in the 200 freestyle, with Sims clocking 1:41.10. Grimes and Weinstein followed in respective marks of 1:43.83 and 1:43.93. Sims was also the winner of the 100 backstroke, as her 50.53 comfortably won the event over Teagan O’Dell (51.86). In the process, Sims broke the Juniors meet record of 50.58 set by Regan Smith in 2018.
Event 13 Women 400 Yard IM
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Jrs West: * 3:57.02 12/9/2022 Katie Grimes, SAND -CA
SC Jrs Meet: # 3:57.02 12/9/2022 Katie Grimes, SAND -CA
Texas Pool: P 3:57.03 Ella Eastin
Meet Qualifying: 4:30.69
Name Age Team Prelims Finals Points
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=== Championship Final ===
1 Grimes, Katie 16 SAND-CA 4:03.04 3:57.02* 20
r:+0.69 25.10 53.59 (28.49)
1:23.17 (29.58) 1:52.21 (29.04)
2:27.75 (35.54) 3:03.35 (35.60)
3:30.71 (27.36) 3:57.02 (26.31)
2 Kozan, Asia 17 MVN-CA 4:16.24 4:07.27 17
r:+0.65 26.34 56.72 (30.38)
1:28.79 (32.07) 2:00.42 (31.63)
2:35.07 (34.65) 3:10.54 (35.47)
3:39.35 (28.81) 4:07.27 (27.92)
3 Han, Kayla 14 RMDA-CA 4:10.82 4:07.77 16
r:+0.72 26.65 56.96 (30.31)
1:28.09 (31.13) 1:59.18 (31.09)
2:35.01 (35.83) 3:11.15 (36.14)
3:39.99 (28.84) 4:07.77 (27.78)
4 O'Sullivan, Abby 17 MVN-CA 4:15.99 4:14.97 15
r:+0.72 27.51 58.51 (31.00)
1:30.98 (32.47) 2:02.51 (31.53)
2:39.62 (37.11) 3:16.84 (37.22)
3:46.67 (29.83) 4:14.97 (28.30)
5 McCarthy, Katie 18 EDI-MN 4:17.26 4:15.19 14
r:+0.62 26.78 57.88 (31.10)
1:30.06 (32.18) 2:01.70 (31.64)
2:39.56 (37.86) 3:19.11 (39.55)
3:47.66 (28.55) 4:15.19 (27.53)
6 Bricker, Caroline 17 PPA-CO 4:15.87 4:15.42 13
r:+0.70 26.33 56.21 (29.88)
1:29.87 (33.66) 2:02.40 (32.53)
2:38.44 (36.04) 3:15.13 (36.69)
3:45.97 (30.84) 4:15.42 (29.45)
7 Clift, Elise 16 MAC-NT 4:16.68 4:20.78 12
r:+0.70 27.69 1:00.14 (32.45)
1:32.69 (32.55) 2:03.71 (31.02)
2:43.84 (40.13) 3:23.70 (39.86)
3:52.91 (29.21) 4:20.78 (27.87)
-- Steinmetz, Teagan 18 DSA-CO 4:16.44 DQ
Alternating Kick - fly
26.98 57.73 (30.75)
1:30.87 (33.14) 2:03.87 (33.00)
2:39.63 (35.76) 3:15.97 (36.34)
3:47.38 (31.41) DQ (30.45)
Event 17 Women 200 Yard Freestyle
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Jrs West: * 1:40.78 12/7/2022 Bella Sims, Sandpipers Of Ne
SC Jrs Meet: # 1:40.78 12/7/2022 Bella Sims, Sandpipers Of Ne
Texas Pool: P 1:40.26 Mallory Comerford
Meet Qualifying: 1:52.59
Name Age Team Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Sims, Bella 17 SAND-CA 1:44.81 1:41.10 20
r:+0.57 23.38 48.78 (25.40)
1:15.06 (26.28) 1:41.10 (26.04)
2 Grimes, Katie 16 SAND-CA 1:45.95 1:43.83 17
r:+0.69 24.60 51.10 (26.50)
1:17.94 (26.84) 1:43.83 (25.89)
3 Weinstein, Claire 15 SAND-CA 1:45.13 1:43.93 16
r:+0.77 24.50 50.82 (26.32)
1:17.49 (26.67) 1:43.93 (26.44)
4 O'Dell, Teagan 16 MVN-CA 1:45.15 1:43.94 15
r:+0.73 24.20 50.79 (26.59)
1:17.25 (26.46) 1:43.94 (26.69)
5 Hartman, Bailey 16 CROW-PC 1:46.58 1:44.56 14
r:+0.73 24.66 51.12 (26.46)
1:18.23 (27.11) 1:44.56 (26.33)
6 Hodges, Macky 18 SAND-CA 1:46.27 1:45.69 13
r:+0.71 24.38 50.83 (26.45)
1:17.84 (27.01) 1:45.69 (27.85)
7 Hebert, Madeleine 17 TRA-CA 1:46.25 1:45.76 12
r:+0.72 24.68 51.71 (27.03)
1:19.05 (27.34) 1:45.76 (26.71)
8 Mintenko, Madi 15 PPA-CO 1:45.66 1:45.93 11
r:+0.81 24.72 51.86 (27.14)
1:19.19 (27.33) 1:45.93 (26.74)
Event 21 Women 100 Yard Backstroke
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Jrs West: * 50.58 12/6/2018 Regan Smith, Riptide
SC Jrs Meet: # 50.58 12/6/2018 Regan Smith, Riptide
Texas Pool: P 49.18 Beata Nelson
Meet Qualifying: 58.09
Name Age Team Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Sims, Bella 17 SAND-CA 52.11 50.53* 20
24.88 50.53 (25.65)
2 O'Dell, Teagan 16 MVN-CA 53.14 51.86 17
25.36 51.86 (26.50)
3 Kern, Emma 17 AQJT-MN 52.12 52.17 16
25.03 52.17 (27.14)
4 Rabb, Grace 16 AQJT-MN 53.04 52.79 15
25.42 52.79 (27.37)
5 Berlin, Alana 15 SSTY-WI 52.73 52.85 14
25.57 52.85 (27.28)
6 Wilson, Charlotte 16 TOPS-CO 53.34 52.89 13
25.71 52.89 (27.18)
7 Hodges, Macky 18 SAND-CA 53.48 53.58 12
26.04 53.58 (27.54)
8 Smith, Adriana 17 OAPB-PC 53.88 54.03 11
26.03 54.03 (28.00)