Bluefish Swim Club won eight of the 12 senior events (including all six boys events) contested during the first night of finals at the Swimming World Fall Classic on the campus of Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I.
The meet actually got started Friday night with the 1000 free events, and Bluefish swept those events as well. Audrey Brecher won the girls’ race in 10:37.53, and Harry Homans pulled away from teammate Will Hein over the final 300 yards to win the boys’ in 9:27.48.
The 500 free opened up Saturday night finals, and Seacoast’s Kate Magill dominated the girls’ event in 5:04.74, and Bluefish’s Will Barao did the same in the boys, posting a 4:32.48. Seacoast’s Gianna Spremullo,14, then won the girls’ 200 IM in 2:10.82 before Homans blasted a 1:53.58 to win the boys.
Kingfish’s Sydni Diehl came out on top of a tight battle in the girls’ 50 free. Diehl touched in 24.70, just ahead of the Bluefish duo of Abby Martin (24.76) and Kelsey Cordery (24.79). Barao again finished atop the field in the 50 free, where he touched in 22.47.
Bluefish’s Millier Benkerk picked up the win in the girls’ 100 fly in 59.64, while Martin again came out on the wrong end of a tight finish, touching in 59.81 for second. Spremullo was third in 59.84. Bluefish’s River Wright bulldozed his way to a 50.44 to win the boys’ 100 fly.
Bluefish’s Cynthia Xie won the girls’ 200 breast in 2:30.79, but the top time of the night actually came from teammate Ella Smith, who won the 12-and-under event in 2:29.11. In the boys’ 200 breast, Bluefish’s Will Hein edged out Barao, who was seeking his third win of the evening in as many events. Hein exploded on the third 50 and held on for the top spot by nine one-hundredths, 2:13.95 to 2:14.04.
Spremullo won her second event of the session in the girls’ 100 back, clocking a 58.52, and then Homans touched out Wright by one one-hundredth in the top race of the session. Homans had just enough off the last turn to come in at 51.35, and Wright settled for second in 51.36.
In the 12-and-under division, Bluefish’s Landon Him won the 50 free (24.6), 100 fly (57.15) and 100 back (58.02), while teammate Erik Watka won the 200 IM (2:14.47) while also finishing second to Him in both the 100 fly and 100 back. For the girls, Commonwealth Current’s Natalie Mannion was victorious in both the 100 fly (1:02.93) and 100 back (1:01.97).
Swimming World is live streaming the afternoon and evening sessions of the meet, and races and interviews will be available afterwards on demand on the event landing page.
