Speedo Summer Championships: Justina Kozan, Trenton Julian Post Swift 200 Free Performances in Irvine; Elevation Athletics Sets Relay NAG Record
During the second evening of competition at the Speedo Summer Championships in Irvine, Calif., Justina Kozan and Trenton Julian each recorded strong performances in the 200 freestyle, while 14-year-old Teagan O’Dell rocketed a 200 backstroke performance that ranks third all-time among 15-16 girls.
At the U.S. Olympic Trials, 17-year-old Kozan of the Mission Viejo Nadadores qualified for the final of the women’s 400 IM and finished eighth, but in her likely best event, the 200 freestyle, Kozan ended up finishing 34th, more than three seconds off her best time of 1:58.10. In Irvine, Kozan bounced back and swam just off her lifetime best, posting a 1:58.14 for the win. Kozan won the race by almost three seconds, with Austin Swim Club’s Jillian Cox taking second in 2:01.04 and Iowa Flyers’ Aurora Roghari finishing third in 2:01.26.
In the men’s 200 free, Julian posted his second victory in as many days as he topped the event in 1:47.83, just off the 1:47.50 he swam to place 13th in the event at U.S. Olympic Trials. Julian, representing Rose Bowl and Cal-Berkeley, previously won the 200 fly Wednesday in 1:54.71, becoming the fastest American this year in the event. Lakeridge’s Luke Hobson took second in 1:49.10, a tenth ahead of Cal’s Dare Rose (1:49.20).
O’Dell won her first race of the meet Tuesday when she topped the women’s 100 free, and in the 200 back, the 14-year-old from Irvine Novaquatics posted a time of 2:09.57. That moved O’Dell to third all-time among U.S. swimmers in the 13-14 age group, trailing only 2012 Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin (2:09.16) and Nora Mirabal (2:09.27). O’Dell finished almost two seconds ahead of anyone else. Elmbrook’s Maggie Wanezek placed second in 2:11.56, and Cougar’s Taylor McCoy finished third in 2:15.74.
Trojan’s Isabelle Odgers came home strong to top the women’s 200 breaststroke field in 2:28.23, while the University of Denver’s Emma Weber touched second in 2:29.05. Tritons’ Katja Pavicevic placed third in 2:30.10. In the men’s 200 breast, Team Rebel’s AJ Pouch led by more than two seconds after 150 meters, but he faded badly on the last length. He had enough, though, to hold off Trojan’s Ben Dillard, 2:11.61 to 2:12.17. Metroplex’s Zhier Fan claimed third in 2:13.87.
Schroeder YMCA’s Ziyad Saleem won the men’s 200 back in 2:02.31, and Trojan’s Harry Homans was second in 2:02.83. Third went to Rose Bowl’s Ronald Dalmacio in 2:03.84.
To conclude the evening, Irvine Novaquatics’ Lindsay Ervin (57.33), O’Dell (55.24), Ella Eistic (55.91) and Maggie Schalow (57.21) won the women’s 400 free relay in 3:45.69. Elmbrook Swim Club’s team of Campbell Stoll, Lucy Thomas, Maggie Wanezek and Abby Wanezek took second in 3:47.65 took second, and third went to Elevation Athletics (of Colorado) in 3:47.82. The Elevation team of Indigo Armon, Morgan Lukinac, Karolina Bank and Mary Codevilla broke the 17-18 National Age Group record of 3:48.12 set by Dynamo’s Caitlin Cooper, Kylie Stewart, Kathleen Cook and Nicole Stafford in 2013.
The Speedo Summer Championships are taking place as two meets taking place on opposite sides of the country. Half the swimmers are in Greensboro, N.C., while the other half are in Irvine, Calif. The meet replaces the standard end-of-summer championships for senior-level and junior-level athletes, with the two usual events combined due to typical low turnout when the meets are around the same time as the Olympic Games. Older swimmers and 18-and-under swimmers had different time standards required for qualification. Most of the top American swimmers either just finished competing at the Olympics or are taking the summer off after narrowly missing the Olympic team.