During the final evening of competition at the Speedo Winter Invite in Piscataway, N.J., 14-year-old Tess Howley secured her first-ever Olympic Trials cut, while Dylan Rhee swam faster than his first initial Trials cut from prelims. Meanwhile, Bluefish’s Harry Homans won a pair of individual events.
Howley, representing Long Island Aquatic Club, won the women’s 200 fly in 2:14.23, surpassing the Olympic Trials cut of 2:14.69. Howley’s lifetime best entering the day had been 2:15.25. Suburban Seahawks’ Madison Kolessar took second in 2:18.87, and Bluefish’s Brynn Wright finished third in 2:18.99.
Asphalt Green’s Rhee won the men’s 200 breast in 2:17.56, faster than his prelims time of 2:17.71 which made him the only male swimmer at the meet to qualify for Trials. Long Island’s Jason Louser took second in 2:19.77, and Delaware’s Ryan Pirrung finished third in 2:23.07.
Homans won the men’s 200 back in 2:04.14, ahead of Salvation Army Kroc Aquatics’ Destin Lasco (2:06.67) and Long Island’s Billy Swartwout (2:07.58). Later, in the 200 fly, Homans finished in 2:03.71 to hold off Louser (2:04.12), while Long Island’s Timothy Marski took third (2:05.03).
In the evening’s first individual event, Bluefish’s Anna Hein captured first place in the women’s 1500 free, holding off Long Island’s Sophia Karras. Hein finished in 17:14.84, with Karras taking second in 17:16.03. Paralympic gold medalist Becca Meyers, representing North Baltimore, claimed third in 17:25.13.
North Baltimore’s Lauren Poole won her third event of the meet after earlier winning both IMs. She osted a time of 2:36.00 in the women’s 200 breast, ahead of Bluefish’s Ella Smith (2:37.76) and North Baltimore’s Samantha Ai (2:40.02).
Natalie Mannion, the 14-year-old representing the Commonwealth Current, completed the backstroke double with a win in the women’s 200 back, touching in 2:15.77. Poole finished second in 2:17.62, one hundredth ahead of Bluefish’s Summer Smith (2:17.63).
Long Island’s Chloe Stepanek won the women’s 100 free in 56.74, just missing the Olympic Trials cut of 56.59. North Baltimore teammates Megan Drumm (57.52) and Fiona Schere (58.01) took second and third, respectively.
After that, Lasco came up just short of the Trials cut in the men’s 100 free, with his 50.56 coming up just shy of the 50.49 needed to qualify for Omaha.
To wrap up the individual events for the meet, Asphalt Green’s Dylan Porges won the men’s 1500 free in 15:57.45, coming in ahead of NBAC’s Will Hoogenboom and Bluefish’s Josh Parent.
Swimming World streamed all races from the Speedo Winter Invitational live, and all races will be available on demand.
Way to go Tess!
Hooray for Tess!