U.S. Junior Nationals: Shackell Siblings Sweep 200 Butterfly; Lucy Thomas Sets 100 Breast Meet Record
During the first evening of finals at U.S. Junior Nationals in Irvine, Calif., a pair of siblings representing the Carmel Swim Club began the meet with resounding wins in their respective 200 butterfly races. 15-year-old Alex Shackell broke 2:10 for the first time as she won the women’s event before older brother Aaron Shackell out-dueled Thomas Heilman to capture first in the men’s race.
Alex Shackell was narrowly behind the women’s field after 100 meters of her final, but she blasted ahead on the third 50, and she ended up winning the race by almost three seconds. She touched in 2:09.44, breaking her lifetime best of 2:10.00 set in prelims (after entering with a top mark of 2:10.21). Shackell placed 10th in the 200 fly at the U.S. International Team Trials in April, but this mark would have been good enough for seventh at that qualification meet. Badger’s Hana Shimizu-Bowers placed second in 2:12.41, and third went to Patriot’s Annika Parkhe in 2:12.54.
In the men’s event, Aaron Shackell held off Heilman by four tenths as he swam to a time of 1:57.42. Like his sister, Shackell also improved his lifetime best twice in one day. Heilman came in second in 1:57.84, his best time by two tenths, and third went to Jersey Wahoos’ Henry McFadden in 1:59.01. All of those top three swimmers along with Alex Shackell are set to represent the United States at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships next month.
The women’s 100 breaststroke saw Elmbrook’s Lucy Thomas record a time of 1:07.63 to become the first woman to ever break 1:08 in the event at Junior Nationals. She broke her own meet record of 1:08.07 set in prelims, which in turn broke Zoe Bartel’s 2016 mark of 1:08.11. Denver Hilltoppers’ Emma Weber (1:08.31) and Swim Atlanta’s Katie Christopherson (1:08.46) rounded out the top three.
Coronado Swim Association’s Nick Mahabir went under 1:01 for the first time in the men’s 100 breast in prelims with a mark of 1:00.94, and he swam even quicker as he captured the win at night in 1:00.79. Ames Cyclone’s Joshua Chen took second in 1:01.80, while Rose Bowl’s Daniel Li and Glenbrook’s Colin Zhang tied for third in 1:02.15.
Jillian Cox, representing Longhorn Aquatics and also a member of the Junior Pan Pacs team, topped the women’s 800 freestyle in 8:31.84. Jersey Wahoos’ Maddie Waggoner edged out Tide Swimming’s Sophia Knapp for second place, 8:38.94 to 8:39.27. The final individual event of the night, the men’s 1500 free, went to Fast Swim Team’s Matthew Chai in 15:28.25, followed by Long Island’s Sean Green in 15:31.20 and Tide Swimming’s Bobby Dinunzio (15:37.79).
Elmbrook won the women’s 200 medley relay with a team of Maggie Wanezek, Thomas, Campbell Stoll and Abby Wanezek combining to swim a time of 1:51.41. Just behind was Carmel in 1:52.08, with Berit Berglund leading off in 28.29 (just ahead of Maggie Wanezek’s 28.39) and Shackell anchoring in a blistering 24.71. In the men’s 200 medley relay, Dynamo’s team of Idris Muhammad, Britton Spann, Owen McDonald and Leo Roden got the win in 1:41.93.
Mahabir was under 1:01 previously, winning the consolation heat at Senior Nationals in 1:00.37.