The 2018 Long Course YMCA National Championships opened with the 1500, both won in dominant fashion. Wilton’s Catherine Buroker touched in 16:53.39 to win the women’s event. Powel Crosley’s Lucy Callard also separated herself from the field, touching in 17:06.42. Finishing third and wrapping up a trio of 18 year olds was Shannon Jelley from Countryside with a 17:19.39.
Hickory’s Ethan Knorr topped the competition by 11 seconds, getting to the wall first with a 15:58.29. Entered with a short course yards time, Josh Cohen of FanwoodScotch finished runner up in 16:09.54. Somerset Valley’s Nathan Borges placed third with a 16:11.32.
One YMCA National record fell in the first two days of competition. Somerset Valley’s 15 year old Matt Fallon got to the wall in 2:14.55 to win the 200 breaststroke, taking down the National mark of 2:15.96.
The Cheshire YMCA’s women’s 200 freestyle relay secured the first relay victory of the weekend as Alexandra Tyler, Mia Leko, Elizabeth Boyer, and Sophie Murphy got to the wall in 1:47.06, three tenths ahead of Red Bank in 1:47.41. Tyler, Boyer, Leko, and Murphy also teamed up for the 400 medley relay victory in 4:16.95. Red Bank was runner up in 4:18.19.
On the men’s side, Somerset Hills took top 200 freestyle relay honors in a 1:35.29 behind Roo Fenton, Jack Alexy, Jonathan Hua, and Ryan Carkhuff. Rapid Area was a half second back in 1:35.88.
Short course 100 backstroke National Champion Olivia Harper of Bath Area extended her backstroke prowess to the long course pool, taking the 200 back national title by nearly a full second with a 2:15.75. Blue Ash’s Emma Shuppert was runner up (2:16.72). Shuppert’s teammate Megan Glass raced to a 1:00.52 for 100 butterfly gold. Nearly a second back in second place was Cheshire’s Leko (1:01.47).
Noah Young took the top spot in the men’s 200 backstroke. the Countryside YMCA swimmer posted a 2:03.85 ahead of the 2:04.66 from Somerset Hills’ Dylan Wachenfeld and the 2:07.26 from York’s Alex Sun.
Green Bay YMCA Metro’s Kaiser Neverman posted a 55.07 for the men’s 100 butterfly gold. Touching in 55.72 to tie for second was Colton Phleps of Ridgewood Ohio and Lukas Scheidl of Somerset Hills.
The 200 women’s breaststroke had a tight clump at the top. Ultimately ME Lyons’ Kate Overbey got to the wall first in 2:34.05. Wheeling’s 15 year old Mia Sunseri was funner up in 2:34.77. Despite fading in the final 50 meters, York’s 14 year old Meaghan Harnish finished third (2:35.89).
Finishing off the first full night was Powel Crosley’s David Johnson, Adam Sherman, Luke Paxton, and Owen Taylor winning the men’s 400 medley relay in a 3:54.65 ahead of the 3:55.72 from York.
After night two Cheshire (136), Red Bank (132), and ME Lyons (106) sit atop the women’s scores while Red Bank (147), Somerset Hills (92.5), and Somerset Valley (75) lead the men.
Full results here.
