For full results, recaps, live broadcast of finals and photos from the meet, go to the CeraVe Invitational Event Landing Page
Reporting by special Swimming World student reporters Elan Bird, Zach Miller and Jackie Korey
PISCATAWAY, New Jersey, January 10. THE second evening of finals featured Peddie's Connor Signorin doubling up with a pair of individual wins at the CeraVe Invitational. The meet is hosted by the Berkeley Aquatic Club on the campus of Rutgers University.
Women's 400 IM
14-year-old Annie Zhu (4:51.30) of Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics qualified for the World Championship Trials in the event and took home her third title of the CeraVe Invitational.
Zhu, the heavy favorite following this morning's prelims pulled away from the pack and won by more than 10 seconds.
"[I] paced myself in prelims, and went all out in the final," Zhu said after the victory in which she dropped four seconds from her prelim time.
Victoria Cassidy (5:02.23) from Eastern Express touched second just ahead of Kaia Simmons (5:04.20) from Bluefish Swim Club.
Men's 400 IM
Top seed Connor Signorin (4:27.16) from Peddie Aquatic Association touched out Ian Clark (4:27.29) of the Suburban Swim Center to win crown. Both posted World Championship Trials cuts in the event. This win was Signorin's second CeraVe Invitational title.
"I just like racing," Signorin said. "That's the thing about swimming. I just want to go out and work hard everyday."
Third place in the A final went to Jack Wagner (4:36.70) of Long Island Aquatic Club. Notably, Nimrod Hayet (4:28.86) of Peddie Aquatic Club won the B final with the third-fastest time of the night. The swim also cleared the World Championship Trials cut.
Women's 50 free
Alex Forrester (26.55) of Bluefish Swim Club won a close contest in the sprint free just ahead of Carolyn Fittin (26.82) of Peddie. With their times, Forrester qualified for the U.S. Open and Fittin qualified for Junior Nationals.
Forrester won her second crown in as many days, but did not feel any added pressure.
"This meet is just a prelim for us, we just go out and try to get our best times," Forrester said. "A win is just a bonus."
Megan Lydzinski (27.13) of X-Cel Swimming placed third, beating out Forrester's teammates Alex Frasier (27.46) and Kellie Lyver (27.86).
Men's 50 free
Louis Arruda (24.30) of the Bluefish Swim Club made good on his top seed dropping almost half a second from prelims.
"There's a little pressure, but when I come to meets I try to have fun and do the best I can," Arruda told Swimming World after the race. "Whatever happens, happens."
Jack Wagner (24.48), 16, of Long Island Aquatic Club finished nearby in second place, and T.J. McCarthy (24.80) of Peddie Aquatic Association secured third, just touching out teammate Pete Fittin (24.81) by the slimmest of margins.
Women's 100 back
Kim Holden (1:03.75) of the Westchester Marlins grabbed not only the title, but also a World Championships Trials cut.
"I was happy with this morning's race and was just focusing on being strong underwater and having a fast tempo," Holden said.
Lili Shiota (1:04.77) of Agua Swim Team came in second, while Kaitlyn Jones (1:05.61) of Delaware Swim Team achieved a third-place finish.
Men's 100 back
Meet record-holder Ian Clark (56.88) from Suburban Swim Center, swam a solid World Championship Trials cut in finals, but just missed his standard of 56.72.
"I was more optimistic today after being able to win yesterday," Clark compared today's swim with yesterday's performance. "I felt slower today. I think I had higher expectations today, where yesterday I had no expectations."
Jack Wagner (59.62), from Long Island Aquatic Club, took his second silver of the night, while Matthew Belecanech from Jersey Wahoos Swim Club and Pat O'Donovan from Lansing Cats tied for third with matching 59.65s.
Women's 400 free
Lauren Morford (4:23.74) of Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics triumphed, and beat teammate Annie Zhu (4:24.56).
"I've done it before, so I just wanted to stay calm before the race," Morford said. "I like to go out strong and then I try to hold on. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't."
Third place went to Kelly Johanson (4:27.29) of Badger Swim Club.
Men's 400 free
16-year-old Connor Signorin of Peddie won his third title of the meet. Signorin (3:59.59) qualified for the World Championship Trials with the effort.
"[I] definitely gained confidence over the course of the meet," Signorin said.
Luca Spinazzola (4:08.57) of Bluefish Swim Club was the second-fastest swimmer in the event despite swimming in the B final.
Matthew Belecanech (4:09.02) of Jersey Wahoos started in lane four, and touched second, while third-place finisher Connor Jaeger (4:09.22) of Central Jersey Aquatics rounded out the podium.
Women's 400 medley relay
The Bluefish Swim Club (4:20.51) team Cara Vogel, Emma Jackson, Alex Forrester, and Alex Frasier pulled ahead in the butterfly portion of the relay to snatch a first-place finish during Saturday's finals.
Following them to capture second was the Westchester Marlins (4:23.84) squad of Kim Holden, Alexandra Gorki, Morgan Karetnick and Ali Polhill, while Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics' contingent of Lili Shiota, Annie Zhu, Daniela Rueda and Lauren Morford clinched third place with a time of 4:26.19.
Men's 400 medley relay
Bluefish Swim Club's A relay (4:03.91) composed of Pat Myers, Paolo Deluca, Louis Arruda, and Jeffrey Thomas, remained in front to win finals. Lansing Cats A relay (4:10.84) of Pat O'Donovan, Lucas Zelehowsky, Matthew Heise and Adam Zelehowsky finished second, while Badger Swim Club's A relay (4:12.08) of Kevin Hughes, Mike McVicker, Alex Gianino and Ben Itzkowitz went on to take a third.
