10-year-old Daniel Branon Breaks Phelps’ 1995 Meet Record

2019 Speedo Winter Invitational

• January 18th-20th
• Hosted by Berkeley Aquatic Club
• Piscataway, NJ   
• Meet Site
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• LCM (50m)

During the Saturday timed finals session of the 2019 Speedo Winter Invitational, hosted by Berkeley Aquatic Club, 10-year-old Daniel Branon took down Michael Phelps’ 1995 10&U 50 fly meet record.

Branon, who trains at the same North Baltimore Aquatic Club (NBAC) where Phelps grew up swimming, was entered with a 32.89 in the 50 fly psych sheets. He went on win the event with a time of 31.42, which surpasses the 24-year-old record of 32.39. Branon’s time is now 1.51 seconds away from the 10&U NAG, set by Carson Foster in 2012.

Branon was also victorious in the 200 IM, winning in a personal best of 2:45.57. His winning time just nipped at the 2007 meet record of 2:44.29.

Later in the evening senior finals session, 14-year-old Natalie Mannion (Commonwealth Swimming) not only won the girls senior 100 back, but also achieved an Olympic Trials cut. Mannion took the event in a 1:02.30, which just surmounted the 2020 trials cut of 1:02.69.

Other Session Highlights

NBAC’s Ryan Merani joined Branon in the record-breaking club when he broke the boys 13-14 meet record in the 200 fly. Merani finished in a 2:13.04, surpassing the old record of 2:13.25.

In the boys 13-14 50 free, NBAC’s Sam Kamdin stormed the event in a 25.77, just two-tenths off of the 2008 meet record of 25.65. Kamdin also flirted with the 100 free meet record later in the meet. His winning time of 55.82 was just one-tenth off of the 2008 record of 55.73.

Andrew Koek of LIAC also nearly missed a meet record. Koek won the boys 10&U 50 breast in a 38.13, only three-tenths off the meet record of 37.71.

LIAC teammates Brooke Armstrong and Matthew Peitler both had double-event wins in the 50 free and 200 free. Armstrong took the girls 11-12 50 free in a 29.21 and the girls 11-12 200 free in a 2:15.58. Peitler won the boys 11-12 50 free in a 29.56. In the boys 11-12 200 free, Peitler had a tight race for first against teammate Sean Green. In the end, Peitler out-touched Green 2:14.43 to 2:14.49.

Other Event Winners:

• Girls 13-14 50 Free: Julia Golovina (Scualos), 27.97
• Girls 10&U 50 Free: Kiera Harkins (BAC), 35.41
• Girls 11-12 100 Fly: Praise Okodogbe (LIAC), 1:06.71
• Boys 11-12 100 Fly: Ethan Nus (LIAC), 1:09.23
• Girls 13-14 200 Fly: Taylor McNerney (NBAC), 2:32.21
• Girls 10&U 200 IM: Angel Kadoorie (NBAC), 2:50.75
• Girls 11-12 100 Breast: Ana Hazlehurst (NBAC), 1:21.74
• Boys 11-12 100 Breast: Matt Zhao (LIAC), 1:21.67
• Girls 13-14 100 Free: Logan Betkey (NBAC), 1:01.05
• Girls 10&U 200 Free: Samantha Anderson (LIAC), 2:34.60
• Boys 10&U 200 Free: James Darcy (LIAC), 2:25.72
• Girls 13-14 400 IM: Skye Bilger (NBAC), 5:18.85
• Boys 13-14 400 IM: Michael Ma (LIAC), 5:02.25
• Girls 10&U 50 Breast: Chrissy Furlow (NBAC), 42.41