ORLANDO, Florida, March 13. TWO national age group records fell during the first full night of action at the NCSA Junior Nationals in Orlando. The records, as well as all other swims, took place LIVE on Swimming World.TV in a coverage sponsored by SpeedoUSA. Check out the event landing page for full coverage.
First Colony's Simone Manuel kicked off the first full night of competition with a U.S. National Age Group record in the 100-yard free. Manuel, 16, scorched the pool with a top time of 47.73, downing Olympian Lia Neal of AGUA (47.91) in the process. Her performance cleared the 15-16 age group record previously set by Dagny Knutson as she clocked a 47.80 back in 2008. NCAP's Janet Hu rounded out the top three in 48.67, while Dynamo's Kylie Stewart took fourth in 48.98.
Stewart, 16, was just warming up as she dusted off the 15-16 age group record in the women's 200-yard back with a sizzling 1:50.66. That swim beat the 1:50.72 set by current California freshman Elizabeth Pelton in 2010. Hu earned another podium, taking second in 1:53.43, while Delaware's Kaityn Jones finished third in 1:53.89.
NASA Wildcat's Andrew Jovanovic raced to victory in the men's 100-yard free with a swift 43.92. That's his first time under 44 seconds as he had a 44.89 lifetime best from last year's NCSA Junior Nationals. First Colony's Brett Pinfold touched second in 44.10, while Bolles' Caeleb Dressel earned third in 44.11.
Rockville-Montgomery's Jack Conger posted a strong time of 1:40.05 to win the men's 200-yard back. That's still well off the blazing 1:38.75 he set at the Tom Dolan Invitational in December of last year, but still crushed the competition as City of Mobile's William Glass finished second in 1:44.01. Crimson's Robert Owen turned in a third-place time of 1:44.61.
Lakeside's Kennedy Lohman broke the 1:01 barrier for the first time in the women's 100-yard breast with a 1:00.81 for the NCSA title. That bettered her previous best of 1:01.62 from the CSC Winter Invite in January of this year. Tucson Ford's Sara Borendame touched second in 1:02.11, while Sarah Kaunitz finished third in 1:02.13 while swimming unattached. Jersey Wahoo Andrew Schuehler claimed the men's 100-yard breast crown in 54.01, while Nitro's William Licon earned second in 54.78. Northern Kentucky Clipper Max Williamson snared third in 54.87.
Mount Pleasant's Megan Kingsley grabbed the women's 200-yard fly title in 1:56.25, while Clearwater's Becca Mann showed some versatility with a second-place 1:57.23. Dynamo's Nicole Stafford wound up third in 1:58.09. AGUA's Michael Domagala shook off most of the AGUA team getting their luggage stolen this trip by winning the 200-yard fly in 1:45.29. New Trier's Reed Malone placed second in 1:45.55, while Baylor's Robert McHugh finished third in 1:45.80.
In relay action, Dynamo's Kylie Stewart, Kathleen Cook, Devon Dabney and Nicole Stafford won the women's 800-yard free relay in 7:14.94, while NCAP's Andrew Seliskar, Evin Rude, Grant Goddard and Chris Grimmett-Norris clinched the men's 800-yard free relay in 6:31.62.