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The final night of the 2019 Speedo USA Junior Nationals was packed with close races, fast speeds, and is sure to hold lifelong memories for the swimmers and their families.
Starting off the final night of the meet was the women’s 200 IM, where Justina Kozan added another gold to her growing collection with a time of 2:12.74. Coming in second was 13 year old Leah Hayes (2:13.06) who is now only .33 of a second off of Missy Franklin’s National Age Group Record.
Tim Connery held his first place seed in the men’s 200 IM by going a time of 2:02.21.
Claiming the title in the women’s 1500 freestyle was Sophia Karras with a time of 16:39.40, nearly five seconds ahead of her competitors.
The women’s 50 freestyle was close as the women in the A final placed only .65 of a second apart, with Cora Dupre (25.62) in the lead and Emma Wheal (25.63) following only .01 of a second behind and Lindsay Flynn (35.65) following .03 of a second behind.
Hunter Armstrong gains another gold as he wins the men’s 50 freestyle with a time of 22.57. Hunter Armstrong was a remarkable .47 second lead over the second place seed.
James Plage captures the win in the men’s 800 freestyle with a time of 8:03.84, just a little over two seconds off of the Championship Record.
Women’s 200 IM
Olympic Trials Cut: 2:17.39
Justina Kozan adds yet another gold to her growing collection when she went a time of 2:12.74 in the women’s 200 IM. Kozan dropped nearly four seconds from prelims and 1.30 seconds from her best time in tonight’s race. Along with winning the 200 IM, Kozan has come in first in the 200 butterfly and 200 freestyle, as well as the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay.
Youngster, Leah Hayes, drops 1.75 seconds to capture second place with a time of 2:13.06. Hayes remains second in the all-time 13-14 rankings, now only .33 of a second off of Missy Franklin’s National Age Group Record.
Taking the bronze was Felicia Pasadyn with a time of 2:14.92. Pasadyn’s speedy backstroke leg moved her from sixth to second, though this isn’t a big surprise seeing that she took first earlier this week in the 200 backstroke.
Also under the Olympic Trials time this evening was Tristen Ulett (2:15.97), Colby Hurt (2:16.60), and Zoe Dixon (2:16.81).
Taking seventh was Sam Baron with a time of 2:17.86, followed closely by Samantha Tadder with a time of 2:17.98.
Also qualifying for the Olympic Trials were B finalists Anna Havens Rice (2:17.35), Kate McCarville (2:17.35), and Hannah Ownbey (2:17.38), along with C finalists Liza Whitmire (2:16.49) and Rye Ulett (2:16.79).
Men’s 200 IM
Olympic Trials Cut: 2:04.09
Tim Connery held his first place seed in the men’s 200 IM by going a time of 2:02.21. Connery’s freestyle split of 28.56 helped him speed ahead to win the gold.
In second was future bulldog Zach Hils with a time of 2:02.51. Hils was first at the wall in the backstroke and breaststroke leg and dropped an outstanding 2.38 seconds.
Coming in with a fast finish to get third was Ansel Froass with a time of 2:03.84.
Qualifying for the Olympic Trials along with the top three men, was fourth place finisher Baylor Nelson with a time of 2:04.00.
In fifth was Arsenio Bustos (2:04.55), in sixth was Will Goodwin (2:04.85), in seventh was Jack Meehan (2:05.07), and in eighth was Tona Zinn (2:05.81).
B finalist Liam Bell also qualified for the Olympic Trials with a time of 2:04.07.
Women’s 1500 Freestyle
Olympic Trials Cut: 16:49.19
Sophia Karras speeds into the finish of the women’s 1500 freestyle to be nearly five seconds ahead of her competitors with a time of 16:39.40. Karras 800 freestyle split was just three seconds over her 800 freestyle time of 8:48.20, that placed her in fourth on Tuesday’s race.
Coming in second was Summer Smith with a time of 16:44.16. Smith held an impressive and consistent time of 33 seconds for every 50 split, except the first 50 (31.10) and the last 50 (32.10).
Closely following Smith was Juli Arzave in third place with a time of 16:45.09. Arzave was also consistently hitting many 33 second splits in her 50’s.
In fourth was Michelle Morgan (16:53.62), in fifth was Caroline Pennington (16:56.08), in sixth was Cavan Gormsen (16:57.36), in seventh was Summer Eaker (16:57.55), and in eighth was Anna Auld (17:00.81).
Women’s 50 Freestyle
Olympic Trials Cut: 25.99
The women in the A finals placed only .65 of a second apart.
Taking the gold was Cora Dupre with a time of 25.62, followed by only .01 of a second by silver medalist Emma Wheal with a time of 25.63. Lindsay Flynn came in .02 of a second after Wheal with a time of 25.65.
Amelia Liu (25.83), Lexie Mulvihill (25.90), and Zoe Skirboll (25.94) also qualified for their Olympic Trials time.
In seventh was Alexandra Crisera with a time of 26.15, and in eighth was Rachel Rhee with a time of 26.27.
Men’s 50 Freestyle
Olympic Trials Cut: 23.19
Hunter Armstrong gains another gold as he wins the men’s 50 freestyle with a time of 22.57. Armstrong was the only swimmer under 23 seconds in this evenings final.
Coming in second and capturing an Olympic Trials cut was Matt King with a time of 23.04.
Following King was Brooks Curry (23.14) and August Lamb (23.17) who were both just under the Trials cut.
In fifth place was Luke Maurer (23.27), in sixth was Nicholas Goudie (23.28), in seventh was Coleman Kredich (23.38), and in eighth place was Liam Bell (23.42).
Men’s 800 Freestyle
Olympic Trials Cut: 8:12.99
James Plage captures the title in the men’s 800 freestyle with a time of 8:03.84. Plage was a little over two seconds off of the Championship Record held by Johannes Calloni with a time of 8:01.63.
In second was Cole Kuster with a time of 8:07.61, followed closely by Brendan Driscoll with a time of 8:08.35.
Jack Vandeusen (8:10.66), Connor Hunt (8:11.52), David Johnston (8:12.14), and Charlie Clark (8:12.20) also scored their Olympic Trials time.
Just over the Trials cut was Dylan Moffatt in eighth with a time of 8:13.52.
Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay
Taking the gold in the final event for the women was the Dynamo Swim Club with swimmers, Rye Ulett, Alicia Henry, Tristen Ulett, and Abby Pilkenton with a time of 4:10.04.
In a close race for second was Swimmac Carolina with swimmers, Maddy Flickinger, Grace Rainey, Ellie Vannote, and Elizabeth Sowards with a time of 4:11.54.
Following Swimmac Carolina was Springfield Aquatics with swimmers, Cassandra Moses, Aubree Brouwer, Kate McCarville, and Molly Moore with a time of 4:11.66.
Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay
Coming in first for the final event of the 2019 Speedo USA Junior National Championships was the Dynamo Swim Club, with swimmers Ian Grum, Quinn Harron, Cam Auerbach, and Brooks Curry with a time of 3:44.00.
Following closely behind was the Sierra Marlins Swim Team with swimmers, Colby Mefford, Ben Dillard, Jonah Harm, and Finn O’Haimhirgin with a time of 3:44.19.
In third was the Rose Bowl Aquatics with swimmers, Mark McCrary, Andre Yarcan, Rafael Gu, and Will Blake with a time of 3:48.86.
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