13-Year-Old Andrew Coombs Posts 52.36 SCY 100 Fly at KING Invitational

2021 PN KING May Invitational

• May 7-8
• Snohomish, Washington
• Short Course Yards (SCY)
• Results
• Results also available on Meet Mobile, “2021 KING May Invitational”

Andrew Coombs of KING Aquatic Club had an impressive showing at KING’s May Invitational, dropping time in nearly every event and contributing to two relay wins. 

Shaving off nearly a second in the 100 fly, Coombs’ time of 52.36 put him just over a second from reaching  the 2021 USA Swimming Futures standard, and his performance was good enough to earn him a victory in the event. 

Although the 100 fly was the only individual event that Coombs won, he took second place in four more events: the 200 IM, 100 free, 200 back and 100 breast. Events were mixed and open age group. His biggest time drops came in the 200 back and 100 breast, where he lowered his times by 5.94 seconds and 9.36 seconds, respectively.

Below are Coombs’ national rankings in fly (13-year-olds):

• 100 fly SCY (52.36): 58th
• 200 fly SCY (1:56.61): 78th

Swimming in a different session than Coombs, Jack Springer competed in six individual events and two relays. In all of his events, he not only dropped time, but also did not place anywhere less than third place. He bettered his 200 fly time by an impressive 9.42 seconds, going from any entry time over the 2:10 mark to a quick 2:01.08. In the 200 IM, Springer clocked a 1:57.18, accounting for another large time drop of 5.18 seconds.

The timing of KING’s May Invitational falls in the middle of Washington state’s boys high school season, which likely accounts for the lack of high-school aged males entered in the meet. For others, the meet could’ve served as an extra opportunity for competition and a chance to achieve updated USA Swimming-sanctioned times.

15-year-old Camden Doane, also of KING Aquatic Club, won four events in her session. She demonstrated her range in the sport by sweeping an event of every stroke: 100 back, 500 free, 200 fly, and 100 breast. Doane cracked the five-minute-mark for the first time in the 500 free, touching in a 4:58.04. In all four of the events that she won, she earned 2021 USA Swimming Futures cuts. 

Alexa McDevitt of Bainbridge Island Swim Club only won the 200 breast individually, but she was the second-highest female point-scorer on the girls side. McDevitt had time drops in four out of her six events. Her 200 back was her most-improved event, in which she improved over 5 seconds to finish at a 2:08.79.