2018 Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East: Walsh Sisters Chase NAG Records on Final Morning in Greensboro
The final prelims session of the 2018 Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships from Greensboro, North Carolina will feature the heats of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and 200 fly. It has been a very fast meet thus far with meet records and NAG records breaking left and right.
More NAG records could fall tonight with the likes of the Walsh sisters and the Foster brothers competing. Gretchen Walsh is the top seed in the 100 free while Alex Walsh is ahead in the 200 breast. Jake Foster is on top in the 200 breast and is second in the 200 fly, while Carson Foster is ahead in the 200 back.
14-year-olds have made quite the impression this week in Greensboro as well with Natalie Mannion and Charlotte Hook on top in the 200 back and 200 fly respectively.
Women’s 200 Back
Three 14-year-olds made the A-Final in the 200 back on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships with Natalie Mannion taking the top spot at 1:55.79. Claire Curzan (1:56.46) is third and Charlotte Hook (1:57.16) is eighth. Mannion moved all the way up to 20th all-time in the 13-14 NAG rankings, just behind Curzan.
18-year-old Caitlin Brooks is the second seed after coming in to the meet with the number one overall seed. She swam a 1:56.08, well off her 1:52.01 seed time, so she could have more left in the tank.
Kathryn Ackerman (1:56.63) and Ellie Waldrep (1:56.78), both 16, are fourth and fifth respectively.
Talia Bates (1:56.96) and Maddy Flickinger (1:57.08) also qualified for the final.
Event 27 Women 200 Yard Backstroke ================================================================== SC Jrs Meet: J 1:50.59 12/14/2013Clara Smiddy, AquaKids Sharks- Pool: P 1:47.91 3/21/2015 Missy Franklin, CAL-PC Name Age Team Seed Prelims HyPts ================================================================== === Round 1 === 1 Natalie Mannion 14 Commonwealth Swi 1:57.93 1:55.79 q934 27.79 56.89 (29.10) 1:26.40 (29.51) 1:55.79 (29.39) 2 Caitlin Brooks 18 Gator Swim Club- 1:52.01 1:56.08 q928 27.15 56.52 (29.37) 1:26.45 (29.93) 1:56.08 (29.63) 3 Claire Curzan 14 TAC Titans-NC 1:55.61 1:56.46 q921 26.90 56.23 (29.33) 1:26.07 (29.84) 1:56.46 (30.39) 4 Kathryn Ackerma 16 Michigan Lakesho 1:56.36 1:56.63 q917 27.45 56.87 (29.42) 1:26.58 (29.71) 1:56.63 (30.05) 5 Ellie Waldrep 16 Baylor Swim Club 1:59.19 1:56.78 q914 27.16 56.27 (29.11) 1:26.41 (30.14) 1:56.78 (30.37) 6 Talia Bates 17 Gator Swim Club- 1:57.52 1:56.96 q911 27.67 57.08 (29.41) 1:27.14 (30.06) 1:56.96 (29.82) 7 Maddy Flickinge 17 SwimMAC Carolina 1:56.98 1:57.08 q908 27.96 57.17 (29.21) 1:27.09 (29.92) 1:57.08 (29.99) 8 Charlotte Hook 14 TAC Titans-NC 1:58.21 1:57.16 q907 27.93 57.38 (29.45) 1:27.31 (29.93) 1:57.16 (29.85)
Men’s 200 Back
17-year-old Carson Foster didn’t seem to take a hard stroke in the 200 back heats on Saturday morning at the 2018 Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Foster qualified first with a 1:43.96, a little off his 1:41 seed time. He has already broken two meet records at this meet and could chase the 200 back one down tonight, which is held by 2016 Olympian Jacob Pebley from 2011.
Foster is ahead of Manta Rays teammate Noah Young (1:44.14), who dropped three seconds off his entry time to climb all the way up to the second seed. Carmel’s Wyatt Davis (1:44.22) and Dayton Raiders’s Owen Conley (1:44.90) also broke 1:45 in the heats.
Lleyton Smith (1:45.35), Hugh Svendsen (1:45.36), Ian Grum (1:46.18) and Thomas Hamlet (1:46.37) also qualified for the A-Final.
Event 28 Men 200 Yard Backstroke ================================================================== SC Jrs Meet: J 1:40.79 12/10/2011Jacob Pebley, Corvallis Aquati Pool: P 1:39.28 2/27/2016 Grigory Tarasevich, LOU-KY Name Age Team Seed Prelims HyPts ================================================================== === Round 1 === 1 Carson Foster 17 Mason Manta Rays 1:41.66 1:43.96 q923 23.92 49.52 (25.60) 1:16.19 (26.67) 1:43.96 (27.77) 2 Noah Young 18 Mason Manta Rays 1:47.05 1:44.14 q919 25.27 51.90 (26.63) 1:18.16 (26.26) 1:44.14 (25.98) 3 Wyatt Davis 17 Carmel Swim Club 1:44.37 1:44.22 q917 24.93 51.20 (26.27) 1:17.75 (26.55) 1:44.22 (26.47) 4 Owen Conley 17 Dayton Raiders-O 1:44.77 1:44.90 q901 25.38 52.02 (26.64) 1:18.65 (26.63) 1:44.90 (26.25) 5 Lleyton Smith 17 SwimAtlanta-GA 1:46.63 1:45.35 q890 24.56 50.61 (26.05) 1:17.69 (27.08) 1:45.35 (27.66) 6 Hugh Svendsen 17 SwimMAC Carolina 1:48.30 1:45.36 q890 24.86 51.38 (26.52) 1:18.33 (26.95) 1:45.36 (27.03) 7 Ian Grum 17 Dynamo Swim Club 1:45.96 1:46.18 q871 25.19 1:19.29 ( ) 1:46.18 (26.89) 8 Thomas Hamlet 17 Enfinity Aquatic 1:48.29 1:46.37 q867 24.91 51.88 (26.97) 1:19.57 (27.69) 1:46.37 (26.80)
Women’s 100 Free
15-year-old Gretchen Walsh put up the number one time in the 100 free heats with a solid 48.57 on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Walsh has been a 47.93 before, so it is not a best for her. She currently sits fourth all-time in the 15-16 NAG rankings and is chasing the 47.73 by Simone Manuel from 2013.
Walsh is leading a very strong field in the 100 Free A-Final with Isabel Ivey (48.97) and Maxine Parker (48.99) sitting second and third. Parker moved up to tied for 35th all-time in the 15-16 age group with two-time NCAA champion Margo Geer.
Chelsea Piers got three swimmers in the final with Parker, Kate Douglass (49.15) and Bridget Semenuk (49.18). Parker is a new addition to the team as she was in Illinois this summer.
Rebekah Hamilton (49.33), Ashley Turak (49.36) and Kelly Pash (49.48) also qualified for the A-Final.
Event 29 Women 100 Yard Freestyle ================================================================== SC Jrs Meet: J 46.29 12/13/2014Abbigail Weitzeil, Canyons Aquatic Pool: P 46.09 3/21/2015 Simone Manuel, STAN-PC Name Age Team Seed Prelims HyPts ================================================================== === Round 1 === 1 Gretchen Walsh 15 Nashville Aquati 47.93 48.57 q941 23.30 48.57 (25.27) 2 Isabel Ivey 18 Laker Swim-FL 48.74 48.97 q919 23.50 48.97 (25.47) 3 Maxine Parker 16 Chelsea Piers Aq 49.24 48.99 q918 23.55 48.99 (25.44) 4 Kate Douglass 17 Chelsea Piers Aq 48.77 49.15 q909 23.71 49.15 (25.44) 5 Bridget Semenuk 17 Chelsea Piers Aq 49.39 49.18 q908 23.52 49.18 (25.66) 6 Rebekah Hamilto 15 Huntsville Swim- 49.35 49.33 q900 23.70 49.33 (25.63) 7 Ashley Turak 18 dROP Aquatics-MI 48.72 49.36 q898 23.81 49.36 (25.55) 8 Kelly Pash 17 Carmel Swim Club 48.55 49.48 q892 23.82 49.48 (25.66)
Men’s 100 Free
15-year-old Jack Alexy broke 44 seconds for the first time with a 43.73 for the top seed on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Alexy’s 100 free puts him ninth all-time in the 15-16 age group rankings. He has a ways to go to catch the 42.67 NAG record held by Ryan Hoffer set in 2014 at this meet.
Alexy and Kimani Gregory (43.74) were the only ones to break 44 seconds in the heats. 50 free champ Adam Chaney is the third seed at 44.05, as he moved up to 20th all-time in the 15-16 age group.
Cason Wilburn got into another A-Final with his 44.39 for fourth seed. Jack Wright (44.55), John Walker (44.57), Hunter Tapp (44.61) and Luke Uttley (44.69) also swam in the A-Final.
Event 30 Men 100 Yard Freestyle ================================================================== SC Jrs Meet: J 41.23 12/12/2015Ryan Hoffer, Scottsdale Aquat Pool: P 41.31 12/6/2014 Nathan Adrian, CAL-PC Name Age Team Seed Prelims HyPts ================================================================== === Round 1 === 1 Jack Alexy 15 Somerset Hills Y 44.01 43.73 q892 20.92 43.73 (22.81) 2 Kimani Gregory 17 Racer X Aquatics 43.76 43.74 q892 20.92 43.74 (22.82) 3 Adam Chaney 16 Mason Manta Rays 44.26 44.05 q875 20.92 44.05 (23.13) 4 Cason Wilburn 17 East Coast Aquat 44.22 44.39 q856 21.16 44.39 (23.23) 5 Jack Wright 18 Allegheny North- 43.56 44.55 q847 21.43 44.55 (23.12) 6 John Walker 17 SwimMAC Carolina 44.34 44.57 q846 21.47 44.57 (23.10) 7 Hunter Tapp 17 Lakeside Swim Te 43.99 44.61 q844 21.43 44.61 (23.18) 8 Luke Uttley 16 Trinity Prep Aqu 44.84 44.69 q840 21.40 44.69 (23.29)
Women’s 200 Breast
17-year-old Alex Walsh had a smooth swim on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships with a 2:08.18 in the 200 breast heats. She was off her 2:06.45 best time, but has a chance to get far under the meet record of 2:07.44 from Zoe Bartel set last year. With her swim this morning, Walsh is 11th all-time in the 17-18 age group in the 200 breast and has a chance to get well in the top eight. The NAG record is a 2:05.99 held by Annie Zhu from 2013.
Walsh is over a second ahead of Abby Arens (2:09.21) of Marlins of Raleigh. She was the only other swimmer under 2:10 in the heats. Arens moved up to seventh all-time in the 15-16 age group with her swim.
Walsh’s Nashville teammate Ella Nelson (2:11.00) is the third seed and Arens’s Marlins teammate Ashley McCauley is fourth at 2:12.30. Both Nelson and McCauley came in to the meet with 2:09 seed times.
Claire Donan (2:13.68), Brooke Zettel (2:13.99), Grace Rainey (2:14.07) and Sarah Bender (2:14.33) also qualified for the top eight.
Rainey is now 23rd all-time in the 13-14 age group for the 200 breast.
Event 31 Women 200 Yard Breaststroke ================================================================== SC Jrs Meet: J 2:07.44 12/9/2017 Zoe Bartel, Fort Collins Pool: P 2:04.34 2/22/2014 Emma Reaney, UND-IN Name Age Team Seed Prelims HyPts ================================================================== === Round 1 === 1 Alex Walsh 17 Nashville Aquati 2:06.45 2:08.18 q975 29.29 1:01.51 (32.22) 1:34.83 (33.32) 2:08.18 (33.35) 2 Abby Arens 16 Marlins of Ralei 2:10.04 2:09.21 q959 29.46 1:02.34 (32.88) 1:35.60 (33.26) 2:09.21 (33.61) 3 Ella Nelson 17 Nashville Aquati 2:09.81 2:11.00 q930 29.84 1:02.95 (33.11) 1:36.82 (33.87) 2:11.00 (34.18) 4 Ashley McCauley 17 Marlins of Ralei 2:09.54 2:12.30 q909 1:03.57 1:37.80 ( ) 2:12.30 (34.50) 5 Claire Donan 17 Triton Swimming- 2:12.25 2:13.68 q887 30.22 1:03.81 (33.59) 1:38.10 (34.29) 2:13.68 (35.58) 6 Brooke Zettel 15 TAC Titans-NC 2:12.00 2:13.99 q882 1:04.24 1:39.06 ( ) 2:13.99 (34.93) 7 Grace Rainey 14 SwimMAC Carolina 2:15.89 2:14.07 q881 30.10 1:04.04 (33.94) 1:39.27 (35.23) 2:14.07 (34.80) 8 Sarah Bender 17 NOVA of Virginia 2:16.54 2:14.33 q877 30.53 1:04.27 (33.74) 1:39.06 (34.79) 2:14.33 (35.27)
Men’s 200 Breast
Jake Foster cruised to another top seed, this time in the 200 breast at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Foster swam a 1:56.81 as he is a half second ahead of Paul Degrado (1:57.31) and 100 champ Josh Matheny (1:57.54). Foster is still searching for his first win of the weekend individually, as he was second in the 200 and 400 IM, and the 100 breast.
Matheny moved up to 12th all-time in the 15-16 age group with his swim this morning.
Maxwell Reich (1:58.62), Tyler Christian (1:59.39), Dylan Rhee (1:59.44), Scott Sobolewski (1:59.55) and Drew Grespin (2:00.13) also qualified for the A-Final.
Event 32 Men 200 Yard Breaststroke ================================================================== SC Jrs Meet: J 1:52.37 12/10/2016Reece Whitley, Penn Charter AC Pool: P 1:52.87 2/27/2016 Brandon Fiala, VT-VA Name Age Team Seed Prelims HyPts ================================================================== === Round 1 === 1 Jake Foster 18 Mason Manta Rays 1:55.40 1:56.81 q924 26.14 55.76 (29.62) 1:26.02 (30.26) 1:56.81 (30.79) 2 Paul Degrado 17 Episcopal AmberJ 1:59.04 1:57.31 q915 26.22 55.77 (29.55) 1:26.32 (30.55) 1:57.31 (30.99) 3 Josh Matheny 16 Pittsburgh Elite 1:58.26 1:57.54 q911 26.42 56.39 (29.97) 1:26.70 (30.31) 1:57.54 (30.84) 4 Maxwell Reich 16 Phoenix Swimming 1:59.93 1:58.62 q892 27.22 56.83 (29.61) 1:27.84 (31.01) 1:58.62 (30.78) 5 Tyler Christian 16 Naval Academy Aq 1:58.60 1:59.38 q878 26.76 56.95 (30.19) 1:28.02 (31.07) 1:59.38 (31.36) 6 Dylan Rhee 17 Asphalt Green Un 1:58.87 1:59.44 q877 27.23 57.57 (30.34) 1:28.51 (30.94) 1:59.44 (30.93) 7 Scott Sobolewsk 16 Cincinnati Marli 2:00.45 1:59.55 q875 27.58 57.74 (30.16) 1:28.23 (30.49) 1:59.55 (31.32) 8 Drew Grespin 17 Greater Toledo A 2:01.48 2:00.13 q865 27.06 57.10 (30.04) 1:28.01 (30.91) 2:00.13 (32.12)
Women’s 200 Fly
14-year-old Charlotte Hook and 15-year-old Grace Sheble posted identical 1:56.63’s this morning in the 200 fly at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships in Greensboro. Hook sits sixth all-time in the 13-14 age group in that event with her 1:56.62 from a few weeks ago. She is within striking distance of the NAG record of 1:56.01 by Cassidy Bayer from 2013.
Sheble, already a winner this weekend in the 400 IM, also added a little bit to her best time. She currently sits 19th all-time in the 15-16 age group in the 200 fly.
Rachel Klinker (1:57.36) and Gabi Albiero (1:57.76) put up the third and fourth fastest times of the morning.
500 champ Mary Smutny (1:58.36) also qualified for the final in fifth place.
Megan Deuel (1:58.51), Tristen Ulett (1:58.88) and Kelly Pash (1:59.08) also qualified for the final.
Event 33 Women 200 Yard Butterfly ================================================================== SC Jrs Meet: J 1:53.49 12/9/2017 Olivia Carter, Enfinity Aquatic Pool: P 1:51.11 3/21/2015 Kelsi Worrell, UOFL-KY Name Age Team Seed Prelims HyPts ================================================================== === Round 1 === 1 Charlotte Hook 14 TAC Titans-NC 1:56.62 1:56.63 q916 26.72 56.54 (29.82) 1:26.38 (29.84) 1:56.63 (30.25) 1 Grace Sheble 15 NOVA of Virginia 1:55.82 1:56.63 q916 27.02 56.74 (29.72) 1:26.81 (30.07) 1:56.63 (29.82) 3 Rachel Klinker 18 Lexington Dolphi 1:57.92 1:57.36 q903 26.56 56.45 (29.89) 1:26.92 (30.47) 1:57.36 (30.44) 4 Gabi Albiero 16 Cardinal Aquatic 1:57.72 1:57.76 q896 26.23 55.91 (29.68) 1:26.12 (30.21) 1:57.76 (31.64) 5 Mary Smutny 18 South Florida Aq 1:56.93 1:58.36 q886 26.86 57.03 (30.17) 1:27.38 (30.35) 1:58.36 (30.98) 6 Megan Deuel 16 Victor Swim Club 1:58.29 1:58.51 q883 27.54 58.58 (31.04) 1:28.54 (29.96) 1:58.51 (29.97) 7 Tristen Ulett 16 Dynamo Swim Club 1:57.99 1:58.88 q877 26.85 57.00 (30.15) 1:27.44 (30.44) 1:58.88 (31.44) 8 Kelly Pash 17 Carmel Swim Club 1:57.15 1:59.08 q873 27.43 57.60 (30.17) 1:27.95 (30.35) 1:59.08 (31.13)
Men’s 200 Fly
Jean-Pierre Khouzam of the Dayton Raiders put up the top time in the 200 fly on Saturday morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East Championships with a 1:45.41. Khouzam moved up to eighth all-time in the 200 fly in the 15-16 age group as he dropped almost three full seconds off his entry time.
He was also the only swimmer to break 1:46 in the heats as Jake Foster is the second seed at 1:46.36. Foster was not far removed from the 200 breast, where he put up the top time in that event not long before.
Noah Henderson (1:47.00) is the third seed while 100 champ Sterling Crane (1:47.24) is the fourth seed.
Tyler Watson (1:47.56), Preston Forst (1:47.72), Adam Mahler (1:47.89) and Kevin Leibold (1:48.19) also qualified for the A-Final.
Event 34 Men 200 Yard Butterfly ================================================================== SC Jrs Meet: J 1:43.64 12/14/2013Robert McHugh, Baylor Swim Club Pool: P 1:41.08 2/24/2018 Nicolas Albiero, LOU-KY Name Age Team Seed Prelims HyPts ================================================================== === Round 1 === 1 Jean-pierre Kho 16 Dayton Raiders-O 1:48.28 1:45.41 q911 23.49 50.35 (26.86) 1:17.11 (26.76) 1:45.41 (28.30) 2 Jake Foster 18 Mason Manta Rays 1:46.63 1:46.36 q890 24.17 51.21 (27.04) 1:18.60 (27.39) 1:46.36 (27.76) 3 Noah Henderson 17 Star Aquatics-NC 1:46.89 1:47.00 q876 23.82 51.19 (27.37) 1:18.87 (27.68) 1:47.00 (28.13) 4 Sterling Crane 17 Episcopal AmberJ 1:46.65 1:47.24 q871 23.84 50.94 (27.10) 1:19.21 (28.27) 1:47.24 (28.03) 5 Tyler Watson 17 North Florida Sw 1:46.80 1:47.56 q864 24.46 52.06 (27.60) 1:20.17 (28.11) 1:47.56 (27.39) 6 Preston Forst 17 Enfinity Aquatic 1:47.66 1:47.72 q860 24.29 51.56 (27.27) 1:19.40 (27.84) 1:47.72 (28.32) 7 Adam Mahler 18 Unattached-MA 1:48.22 1:47.89 q857 24.02 51.39 (27.37) 1:19.56 (28.17) 1:47.89 (28.33) 8 Kevin Leibold 17 Dayton Raiders-O 1:50.12 1:48.19 q850 24.33 51.99 (27.66) 1:20.07 (28.08) 1:48.19 (28.12)