16 y/o Eli Fouts Posts 53.96 100 Breast at NCSA Prelims, Beats Whitley

2017 NCSA JUNIOR NATIONALS

• Tuesday, March 14 – Saturday, March 18, 2017
• Tuesday Timed Finals 4:00 PM Eastern
• Wed-Sat Prelims 8:30 AM / Finals 6:00 PM Eastern
• Live Stream
• Live results available on Meet Mobile
• Results will be posted here after each session

Reece Whitley, one of the biggest names in youth breaststroke right now, wasn’t quite the fastest swimmer this morning at the NCSA Championships in the 100 breast prelims. His time of 54.18 was good for second, but it was a younger competitor, 16-year-old Eli Fouts, who took the top time. The Rockville Montgomery swimmer Fouts popped a 53.96, just .07 off of the Summer Nationals cut. Fouts also moved up to the #6 time in the 15-16 age group (the current #6 time in the USA Swimming database is erroneous) after previously sitting at #22 with a 54.64. Margaret Aroesty of Long Island Aquatic Club topped the morning for the girls with a 1:00.79.

Also putting down a big time for age group swimming ranks was Alexandra Sumner of Suburban Seahawks Club. The 16-year-old posted a 1:53.41 in the 200 back, touching ahead of Hopkins Mariner Swim Team’s Erin Earley (1:54.65). Sumner’s time moves her up to #12 in the 15-16 age group, right ahead of Natalie Coughlin and less than three tenths behind Missy Franklin’s #10 time. Taking the top seed in the boys’ 200 back was NOVA of Virginia’s Jacob Johnson with a 1:44.84, five hundredths faster than his entry time.

Sumner also snuck into the 200 fly A final tied at 7th, where the top seed was Carley Lowe of Highlander Aquatic Club with a 1:57.45. Touching 2nd this morning was Club Wolverine’s Sierra Schmidt at 1:57.81, a lifetime best for her.

Kingfish Aquatic Club’s Camden Murphy, who just wrapped up his high school season with a Michigan HS state record in the 100 fly, swam the fastest time of the morning in the boys’ 200 fly. His 1:45.91 was .80 off of his entry time, and it was just enough to hold off NCAP’s Sam Pomajevich (1:46.07). Murphy will head to Georgia in the fall, while Pomajevich will swim at Texas. The 200 fly final should be very close, with NCAP’s Darren Durocher (1:46.37), Marlins of Raleigh’s Zachary Brown (1:46.38), and Baylor Swim Club’s Peter Lochmaier (1:46.98) all under 1:47 as well. Durocher and Brown move into #14 and #15 all-time for the 15-16 age group, respectively.

After splitting a 22.07 on the 200 medley relay last night for NCAP, 15-year-old Katie Mack took the top seed in the 100 free prelims with a 49.69. Aggie Swim Club’s Julia Cook (16 years old) was 2nd at 49.73, followed closely by 15-year-old Christiana Regenauer of Condors Swim Club of Clarkstown (49.91) and Southwest Stars’ Kaitlyn Schorr (49.98). Greater Tampa’s Morgan Tankersley sits at fifth after going 50.00 this morning.

Trey Freeman went the fastest time this morning in the 500 free, going 4:23.27. The 16-year-old from Baylor Swim Club touched ahead of Dayton Raiders’ Eric Knowles (4:24.14), while NCAP’s Matthew Hirschberger (4:24.56) and Team Greenville’s Talmadge Davis (4:24.82) each snuck under 4:25 as well. Both Freeman and Hirschberger have been 4:16 before, and they could have an incredible duel if they’re both feeling good tonight.