Speedo Winter Juniors West: Maximus Williamson Opts for Sprint Focus, Drops 19.29
Maximus Williamson had an interesting night Thursday at the Speedo Winter Juniors West Championships.
The reigning champion and record holder in the men’s 200 individual medley finished just third in that event at Austin’s Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. But he returned later in the night to win the 50 freestyle in a best time of 19.29.
First the IM, which Williamson captured in 1:41.18 last year. The 18-year-old couldn’t repeat that speed, and someone else nearly did. Campbell McKean of Bend Swim Club in Oregon dropped more than three seconds off his seed time to win in 1:41.19, .01 off Williamson’s meet record and the No. 2 age-group time in history for the 17-18 classification.
Williamson, who has been 1:40.81, finished third in 1:44.22. In between was Texas Ford Aquatics’ Jack Armour in 1:43.34.
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Williamson aired it out in the 50, though. He went 19.29 to win by two tenths, ahead of Tyler Porter of Quicksilver Swim Club in 19.49. Miles Blackson-Dunbar of Alpha Aquatics finished third in 19.53, a tenth up on Seth Crow, who had gone 19.46 in the morning. Eight swimmers broke 20 seconds, including a 15-year-old in Luke Vatev (19.95) and two 16-year-olds (Samuel Lofstrom and JD Thumann).
Williamson finished the night by splitting 46.95 off the front of Lakeside Aquatic Club’s winning 400 medley relay. He joined Dallas Jones, Riccardo Osio and Maxwell Stanislaus in going 3:13.83, a half-second better than Texas Ford Aquatics.
On the boys side, the first race of the session went to Sandpipers of Nevada’s Gabriel Manteufel, who clocked in at 4:13.55 to win the 500 freestyle. His teammate Luke Ellis was third in 4:15.54, with Aiden Hammer of King Aquatic Club in between in 4:14.21. Chase Maier of Fox Valley Swim Club joined them under 4:20 in 4:18.98, a drop of 4.2 seconds for him.
On the girls side, Teagan O’Dell had a busy evening. She won the 200 IM in 1:52.61, besting the field by 3.2 seconds and brushing within four tenths of Katie Grimes’ 2022 meet record of 1:52.21. O’Dell had enough left to finish second in the 50 free in 22.25, a big drop of four tenths from prelims to finals by Jada Duncan getting the Sierra Marlins swimmer a best time of 22.14 and the win.
Madi Mintenko outdueled Kayla Han in a star-studded 500 free to start the session. Mintenko went 4:36.66, shaving three seconds off her PB to edge Han by .22. Han also posted a best time, her 4:36.88 a first foray under 4:38. Ella Cosgrove stuck with them most of the way, finishing third in 4:37.98, with no one else breaking 4:44. Mintenko finished fifth in the 50 free, going 22.34.
Grace Rabb was the best of the rest in the 200 IM, taking second to O’Dell in 1:55.81.
That race also featured the first installment of a busy evening for the Britos. Gabi Brito finished third in 1:56.49, and older sister Bella Brito was fourth in 1:56.80. Gabi Brito, just 14, finished seventh in the 50 free in 22.49, while Bella Brito won the B final in 22.39. They teamed up to lead Beach Cities Swimming to the win in the 400 medley relay, with Delaney Herr and Eryn Arnold. Brito broke a minute in breaststroke in 59.36, while Gabi split 48.56 coming home.
The 50 free featured 10 swims at 22.50 or under, including both Britos and Herr. Sophia Sunwoo finished third for Bellevue Club in 22.26, ahead of Liberty Clark of Crow Canyon in 22.30. Sunwoo’s anchor split of 48.61 helped Bellevue take second in the medley relay in 3:35.49. Clark’s 47.88 helped Crow Canyon to third in 3:36.32.