The final night of the 2016 NCSA Juniors Championships proved to be full of surprises with Lucie Nordmann and Dean Farris, the returning top seeds in the 50 back and 50 free respectively, overtaken at the finish.
NCAP’s Phoebe Bacon delivered a stunning finish in the women’s 50 back, stopping the clock at the 29.15 to beat Nordmann by a single hundredth of a second. Nordmann, the 100 back champion, stopped the clock at 29.16. ASA’s Hannah Lindsey grabbed third with a time of 29.54.
Phoebe Bacon topped the podium in the women’s 50 back.
Dylan Curtis of Dayton Raiders flirted with a sub-26 in the men’s 50 back, but finished just shy with a time of 26.03. Tyler Sesvold finished second overall with a time of 26.32, while George Wozencraft was third with a time of 26.67.
Joy Field of MAC added a victory in the women’s 800 free to her distance win night one, leading the field by several body lengths. Field turned in a split of 4:20.81 at the 400 before finishing with a time of 8:40.18. Nation’s Capital’s Isabella Rongione turned in the second fastest time of the event, stopping the clock at 8:43.83. Paige Madden, the 400 free champion, finished third with a time of 8:46.23.
Magaret Aroesty and Katie Drabot battled for the title in the women’s 200 IM, exchanging first throughout the first and back halves. Drabot led the competition in the first half, but Aroesty turned on the heat in her signature stroke to split a 36.95 and pull ahead. Aroesty claimed her second IM title with a final time of 2:14.39 to complete the IM sweep. Drabot finished second with a time of 2:16.60, and third went to Halladay Kinsey and her time of 2:17.75.
Similar to the 400 IM, NOVA teammates Charles Swanson and Frederick Schubert battled in the middle of the pool for the men’s 200 IM. Swanson pulled ahead of the competition in the breaststroke leg before dashing to the finish to stop the clock at 2:03.14. Thomas Cope of Dayton Raiders finished second overall with a 2:04.68, while Jacob Montague grabbed third with a 2:05.74.
Casey Fanz sprinted to first and an individual title in the women’s 50 free after delivering a final time of 25.72 to be the only other swimmer under the 26-second mark. Amalie Fackenthal and Katherine Douglass kept it close for second and third posting times of 26.04 and 26.06 respectively.
James William Jones of Nation’s Capital dashed to first to upset Farris, the top seed, for the individual title. Jones stopped the clock at a sizzling 23.15 while Farris slid to fourth with a 23.52. Daniel Krueger turned in a time of 23.39 for second, while NCAP’s Aidan Pastel rounded out the top three with a 23.50.
James Jones and teammate Aidan Pastel celebrate their 1-3 finish in the men’s 50 free.
