Tess Howley, Aaron Shackell Scorch 200 Fly Junior Nationals Meet Records
After swimming in the 200 butterfly final at U.S. Nationals with international team qualifying on the line, 18-year-old Tess Howley has cut more than one second off her personal-best time at Junior Nationals to jump into the world top-10 for 2023. Howley, who had never broken 2:08 in the 200 fly prior to Monday, swam a time of 2:07.56 in prelims before crushing a 2:06.85 at night.
Out in 1:00.41, Howley slowed slightly on the back end but still managed to swim a time that would have placed her second at Nationals) fourth at last week’s World Championships. Twice in one day, she destroyed the meet record, which previously belonged to future NCAA champion Olivia Carter at 2:09.02. In the world rankings, the soon-to-be University of Virginia Cavalier now sits ninth, and the only Americans to swim faster this year are American-record holder Regan Smith and veterans Dakota Luther and Hali Flickinger, both of whom have times less than a tenth ahead of Howley.
Club Wolverine’s Hannah Bellard, who will race the event at the World Junior Championships, took second in 2:09.92, with the Suburban Seahawks’ Lainey Mullins third (2:10.99).
In the boys’ event, Carmel’s Aaron Shackell dominated the field and finished in 1:56.07, breaking the previous meet record of 1:56.54 set by eventual U.S. Olympian Andrew Seliskar in 2013. Shackell’s teammate Gregg Enoch took second in 1:58.49, with Spokane Waves’ Michael Hochwalt placing third in 1:58.87.
An exciting race in the girls’ 800 freestyle saw the top four finishers separated by less than seven tenths. Carmel’s Lynsey Bowen and Long Island’s Cavan Gormsen traded leads throughout the race, with La Mirada Armada’s Kayla Han just behind and Scarlet Aquatics’ Kate Hurst lurking. In the end, Bowen took over the lead on the 14th of 16 laps and held tough as Han and Hurst charged down the stretch. Bowen touched in 8:33.71, just 16-hundredths clear of Han’s 8:33.87. Hurst placed third in 8:34.11, and Gormsen was fourth in 8:34.38.
In the boys’ 1500 free, The Swim Team’s Isaac Fleig staged a back-half comeback to overtake Fishers Area’s Luke Whitlock. Whitlock led for the entire race, but Fleig began chipping away at his rival after the 700-meter mark, gradually gaining back a few tenths until Fleig caught up on the 27th of 30 laps. Fleig then blasted home to finish in 15:19.90, a best time by four seconds, while Whitlock placed second in 15:22.20. Third went to Pleasanton Seahawks’ Luke Mijatovic, who knocked off the oldest National Age Group record on the books with his 15:27.38.
Bellevue’s Piper Enge was the only swimmer to break 1:08 in the girls’ 100 breaststroke, clocking 1:07.98 to beat out Crow Canyon’s Raya Mellot (1:08.51) and Valparaiso’s Mary Elizabeth Cespedes (1:08.81). The boys’ equivalent event saw Elite Coronado’s Nick Mahabir blast a time of 1:00.69 to beat Ridgefield’s Xavier Ruiz (1:01.15) and Aquajets’ Charlie Egeland (1:01.24).
Mission Viejo dominated the competition in the girls’ 200 medley relay, with Teagan O’Dell, Maddie Phillips, Chloe Stinson and Teia Salvino combining for a time of 1:52.87. Salvino split 25.02 on the way home.
The boys’ relay, meanwhile, featured an incredible finish as the top five teams were separated by just 12 hundredths at the finish. In the end, the SwimMAC Carolina team of Caleb Maldari, Ben Delmar, Aidan Hill and John Kroll got the win in 1:41.96, only three hundredths of the 15-18 NAG record of 1:41.93 set by Dynamo last year. The SwimMAC group finished just ahead of Nitro (1:42.03), Bolles School (1:42.06), Aquajets (1:42.07) and Rose Bowl (1:42.08).
