Riley Scott Wins Two Events on Night One of 2017 Speedo Grand Challenge

Riley Scott-22972365743
Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold/Aringo Photography

Night one of finals of the 2017 Speedo Grand Challenge kicked off this evening at the Woollett Aquatic Center in Irvine, California. It was a night of tight four-person finals and exciting Olympic speed.

Competition began with the women’s 200-meter IM, as USC’s Riley Scott took the win with a time of 2:15.33. Host team Novaquatics’ Ayla Spitz blasted a 2:17.60 for second place, while third place went to 28-year-old Keaton Blovad, swimming for Cal-Berkeley, with a 2:18.18.

                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Riley Scott      19 UN-PC/USC-CA      2:17.64    2:15.33 NATL   
                 29.85      1:05.76 (35.91)
        1:42.67 (36.91)     2:15.33 (32.66)
  2 Ayla Spitz       16 NOVA-CA           2:20.03    2:17.60 NATL   
                 30.11      1:05.46 (35.35)
        1:46.45 (40.99)     2:17.60 (31.15)
  3 Keaton Blovad    28 CAL-PC            2:18.69    2:18.18 NATL   
                 29.52      1:03.31 (33.79)
        1:45.44 (42.13)     2:18.18 (32.74)
  4 Zoe Thatcher     20 AUB-SE            2:20.11    2:18.46 NATL   
                 30.48      1:05.41 (34.93)
        1:47.14 (41.73)     2:18.46 (31.32)

The men swam the 200-meter freestyle this evening, with Cristian Quinte of Trojan Swim Club finishing first in 1:48.77, just ahead of USC’s Dylan Carter, who touched in 1:49.12. Zach Apple of Auburn University finished in third place with a 1:50.88. All three times were national qualifying times.

                           === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Cristian Quinte  24 TROJ-CA           1:50.83    1:48.77 NATL   
                 25.38        52.72 (27.34)
        1:20.79 (28.07)     1:48.77 (27.98)
  2 Dylan Carter     21 UN-04-CA/USC-CA   1:49.07    1:49.12 NATL   
                 25.51        52.86 (27.35)
        1:21.21 (28.35)     1:49.12 (27.91)
  3 Zach Apple       20 AUB-SE            1:52.61    1:50.88 NATL   
                 26.01        53.79 (27.78)
        1:22.40 (28.61)     1:50.88 (28.48)
  4 Justin Nguyen    17 NOVA-CA           1:51.66    1:52.22 JNR    
                 25.65        53.64 (27.99)
        1:22.23 (28.59)     1:52.22 (29.99)

Scott bested the field again for the women, this time in the 100-meter breaststroke. Her time of 1:08.80 was good for first place in the event. It was a battle for second place between Roadrunner’s Jorie Caneta, who touched in 1:09.03 for second place, and Cal’s Marina Garcia, who was not far behind in 1:09.08.

                           === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Riley Scott      19 UN-PC/USC-CA      1:10.59    1:08.80 OT     
                 32.74      1:08.80 (36.06)
  2 Jorie Caneta     20 UN-01-GU          1:09.44    1:09.03 OT     
                 32.94      1:09.03 (36.09)
  3 Marina Garcia U  22 CAL-PC            1:09.64    1:09.08 OT     
                 32.91      1:09.08 (36.17)
  4 Ali Harrison     17 BUEN-CA           1:10.65    1:10.33 OT     
                 33.43      1:10.33 (36.90)

Cal’s Connor Hoppe swam a 1:02.87 in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke, good for first place. 32-year-old Mike Alexandrov of New York Aquatic Club was close behind with a 1:02.99, and third place went to Cal’s Matt Whittle in 1:04.01.

                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Connor Hoppe     21 CAL-PC            1:03.31    1:02.87 OT     
                 29.29      1:02.87 (33.58)
  2 Mike Alexandrov  32 NYAC-MR           1:03.51    1:02.99 OT     
                 29.53      1:02.99 (33.46)
  3 Matt Whittle     21 CAL-PC            1:04.77    1:04.01 JNR    
                 30.74      1:04.01 (33.27)
  4 Carson Sand      19 CAL-PC            1:04.15    1:04.04 JNR    
                 30.16      1:04.04 (33.88)

Familiar faces appeared in the next event, the women’s 50-meter freestyle, as Olympian Abby Weitzeil of Cal took first place with a 25.35. Teammate Farida Osman was right there with her, touching in 25.49. Cementing the Cal sweep, Amy Bilquist rounded out the top three finishers with her time of 25.50.

                          === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Abbey Weitzeil   20 CAL-PC              25.45      25.35 NATL   
  2 Farida Osman     22 CAL-PC              25.88      25.49 NATL   
  3 Amy Bilquist     19 CAL-PC              25.90      25.50 NATL   
  4 Kendyl Stewart   22 TROJ-CA             25.88      25.71 NATL   

Next, the men tackled the 200-meter IM. Brock Bonetti took the win with a 2:05.47, Daniel Gloude of Aquazot Swim Team touched second in 2:06.52, and Auburn’s Russell Noletto took the bronze with a 2:07.57.

                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Brock Bonetti    21 UN-01-GU          2:07.31    2:05.47 JNR    
                 26.47        58.08 (31.61)
        1:35.19 (37.11)     2:05.47 (30.28)
  2 Daniel Gloude    20 UN-17-OH/AZOT-CA  2:07.04    2:06.52 JNR    
                 27.13        59.35 (32.22)
        1:36.63 (37.28)     2:06.52 (29.89)
  3 Russell Noletto  20 AUB-SE            2:07.65    2:07.57 JNR    
                 26.44        59.38 (32.94)
        1:37.51 (38.13)     2:07.57 (30.06)
  4 Hunter Sa-Nguan  20 AZOT-CA           2:08.87    2:08.62 JNR    
                 27.31      1:00.34 (33.03)
        1:37.39 (37.05)     2:08.62 (31.23)

In the last event of the evening, the women’s 400-meter freestyle, Cal’s Katie McLaughlin stopped the clock in 4:13.53 for a first place finish over Auburn’s Ashley Neidigh (4:15.12), and 16-year-old Erica Sullivan of Sandpipers of Nevada (4:18.52).

                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 McLaughlin, Kat  19 CAL-PC            4:16.36    4:13.53 NATL   
                 29.66      1:01.32 (31.66)
        1:33.40 (32.08)     2:05.71 (32.31)
        2:38.19 (32.48)     3:10.42 (32.23)
        3:42.38 (31.96)     4:13.53 (31.15)
  2 Neidigh, Ashley  22 AUB-SE            4:18.25    4:15.12 NATL   
                 29.70      1:01.33 (31.63)
        1:33.35 (32.02)     2:05.65 (32.30)
        2:37.92 (32.27)     3:10.39 (32.47)
        3:42.94 (32.55)     4:15.12 (32.18)
  3 Sullivan, Erica  16 SAND-CA           4:17.81    4:18.52 JNR    
                 30.00      1:01.65 (31.65)
        1:34.26 (32.61)     2:06.73 (32.47)
        2:39.70 (32.97)     3:12.37 (32.67)
        3:45.54 (33.17)     4:18.52 (32.98)
  4 Thatcher, Zoe M  20 AUB-SE            4:20.61    4:23.31 MIN    
                 30.50      1:02.85 (32.35)
        1:35.81 (32.96)     2:09.01 (33.20)
        2:42.62 (33.61)     3:16.29 (33.67)
        3:50.07 (33.78)     4:23.31 (33.24)

Competition resumes tomorrow morning at 8:30am for the second day of the 2017 Speedo Grand Challenge.

 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

4 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
DLG
DLG
7 years ago

SW, no love for the 7-12 finalists?

Katie Lord
7 years ago

Way to swim fast Riley!

K Blovad
7 years ago

Keaton Blovad is 18, not 28.

Yasser Shaaban
7 years ago

Youssef Yasser/Shahd Yasser/Marwa Elshenawy

4
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x