By Cathleen Pruden, Swimming World College Intern
The Speedo Sectionals series continues with the Southern Zone South stop in Plantation, Florida this weekend. Action began tonight with distance events and 200 meter relays.
Kate Magill from Seacoast Swimming Association was the first champion of the weekend. The 16 year old won the women’s 1500 freestyle by a twelve second margin, stopping the clock at 17:29.99. There was a very close race for second between Arizona Aquatic Club’s Irena Putikova and Pine Crest’s Audrey Mason as the two tied in 17:41.75, both posting over 20 second drops.
Azura’s Marcelo Acosta was dominant in the men’s 800 freestyle, finishing in 8:06.67, over 30 seconds ahead of second place. Matthew Strickland of Swim Florida finished second in 8:42.79. Third place went to South Florida’s Rafael Rodriguez in 8:46.04.
In the women’s 200 medley relay, South Florida’s A squad of Carolina Colorado, Alia Atkinson, Claire Donahue, and Kathleen Golding were first to the wall in 1:54.38. The team’s B crew of Kelley Heron, Ksen Golovkina, Catalina Mendieta, and Alina Schulhofer were third in 2:00.29. The Colorado Stars finished second with Fernanda Gonzalez, Missy Franklin, Jada Surrell-Norwood, and Tang Yi finishing in 1:57.70.
The Colorado Stars edged their South Florida competition in the 200 freestyle relay. Surrell-Norwood, Gonzalez, Ti, and Franklin posted a winning time of 1:44.15. Atkinson, Donahue, Colorado and Mendieta combined for a second place time of 1:46.35. Gator Swim Club’s Talia Bates, Kirschtine Balbuena, Julia Rodriguez, and Isabel Ivey were just behind in a third place time of 1:46.87.
In the men’s 200 medley relay Azura touched first in 1:46.60 with the team of Fernando Alatorre, Nicolo’ Ossola, Marcos Lavado, and Raiz Tjon-A-Joe. The Blue Dolfins’ Zachary Poti, Benjamin Whitty, John Fulginiti, and Reilly Maguire were second in 1:49.03. South Florida rounded out the top three in 1:50.50 with Esteban Diaz-Velasco, Kile Aukerman, Juan Diaz, and Ryan Capote.
Azura snagged another relay title in the 200 freestyle. Tjion-A-Joe, Ossola, Stefano Pisu, and Marco Guarente finished in 1:35.41 to win the event. Swim Fort Lauderdale finished second in 1:36.76 with the team of Nikita Tretyakov, Philippe Marcoux, Julien Pinon, and Raphael Marcoux. The Colorado Stars were third as Kent Olsen-Stavrakas, Blake Wilton, Max Grogan, and Austin Phillips finished in 1:37.18.
The Colorado Stars put together Olsen-Stavrakas, Franklin, Phillips, and Yi to take the mixed 200 freestyle relay in a time of 1:39.58. Gator Swim Club finished second with Mason Wilby, Julian Hill, Bates, and Ivey in 1:41.68. Third place went to the Blue Dolfins’ Fulginiti, Kaitlyn Hunt, Madison Floyd, and Poti in 1:44.15.
Gonzalez, Phillips, Blake Wilton, and Franklin won the mixed 200 medley for the Colorado Stars. Gator Swim Club touched second with the team of Caitlin Brooks, Ivey, Wilby, and Eric Geunes in 1:52.89. South Florida’s Heron, Marc Rojas, Golding, and Ryan Capote rounded out the top three in 1:55.55.
Results available on Meet Mobile.
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That breaststroke split from Missy Franklin (32.91) is pretty noteworthy. Love how Todd Schmitz is letting her have some fun at Sectionals this week.