Nation’s Capital Swim Club hosts one of the year’s biggest and most well-known age group invites this weekend, featuring some of the top rising swimmers in the country. We’ve got meet information, links, and a quick glance at some of the top swimmers to watch in each age group:
2014 Tom Dolan Invite
- Dec 11-14, 2014 (Thursday-Sunday)
- University of Maryland College Park Campus
- Psych sheets
- Meet Info
- Live results
Start Times
All times U.S. Eastern
Thursday Distance
- Timed finals: 5:40pm
Friday-Sunday
- 13-14/Open prelims: 8:45am
- 11-12 prelims/10&under timed finals: 2pm
- Finals: 6:05pm
9 Swimmers to Watch
This is hardly an exhaustive list (and you can feel free to add your own names in the comment section). But here are just a few of the many fast young swimmers who will be competing in Maryland this week:
Reece Whitley, 14: Last year’s big National Age Group (NAG) record-breaker in the breaststrokes, the 6’6″ Whitley is entering his last month in the 13-14 age group with shots to better his 200 breast NAG as well as go after Michael Andrew‘s 100 breast record.
Allie Szekely, 16: A NAG record-holding breaststroker in the 13-14s, Szekely is starting to show her biggest improvements in the backstrokes and IMs. We’ll get to see the next step in her development at the Tom Dolan Invite.
Andrew Seliskar, 18: Coming off a great short course meters meet in Canada last week, the top high school senior in the nation will be back in yards this week. A Cal commit, Seliskar can swim it all, and fast.
Destin Lasco, 13: An outstanding backstroker last year as a 12-year-old, Lasco moves into a new age group and looks to put a dent in the 13-14 NAG record book currently owned by Michael Andrew.
Katie Ledecky, 17: It’s kind of burying the lead to put a world record-holder this far down the list. But it’ll be interesting to see how Ledecky approaches this meet coming off of Winter Nationals last week. She’s in mostly off-events (200 fly, 50 free, 100 free) but don’t sleep on her 1000 free, where she’s got a great chance at Katie Hoff‘s American record one week after breaking the American 1650 free record.
Chase Travis, 12: The Delaware Swim Team 12-year-old is the top seed in 5 different events, the 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 free and 500 free and she’s also got a shot to win the 100 free, where she’s seeded second.
Andrew Gemmell, 23: It’s not just age groupers at the Dolan Invite. Gemmell, a U.S. Olympian and distance specialist, will swim the 200 free, 500 free, 400 IM, 200 fly and the 1650, which is called the “Fran Crippen Mile,” a tribute to the former American open water star. That no doubt has special meaning for Gemmell, who competed alongside Crippen for Team USA multiple times, including the 2009 World Championships and the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships.
Cassidy Bayer, 15: Bayer holds several butterfly NAGs in the 13-14s, and now moves into the tougher 15-16 division. Look for some great races between her and Szekely in the IMs.
Carsten Vissering, 17: Vissering broke the National Independent High School record in the 100 breast last year as a junior, though it was eventually bettered by Jacob Molacek. Vissering, a USC commit, gets another shot at that record this winter, and this week will give a glimpse into where he’s at on his way there.
reece whitley new NAG record in the prelims- 53.84 in 100 breast according to real time results
Cassidy Bayer will be an impressive one to watch as she always has.
Nice to see 5 of those mentioned are Middle Atlantic swimmers, count Andrew Gemmell Delaware Swim Team thru HS.
Destin Lasco’s rival Vinny Marciano will also be in action at the EEX holiday classic.
I believe Reese Whitley is at least 6’7′, An absolute giant, he is one to watch.
I am predicting that Destin Lasco will achieve or come close to a perfect meet (all personal bests.) Although I am assuming this year will be similar to last where this meet will most definitely not be his big taper. For only the 100 and 200 back, I am predicting 51 low, possibly 50.0, and between 1:51 and 1:49 in his 200 back. Anyone have any additional thoughts, maybe on more than just 1 and 2 back?
+Ryan Catron!
You forgot your own #2 2015 men’s recruit… Townley (Francis) Haas.
As stated in the article, this is far from an exhaustive list of all the high-level swimmers competing – that list would be much, much longer than 9 athletes. I made an effort to get various age groups represented in the list, rather than focusing purely on the high school-age swimmers.
Thank you Jared! I did not intend to come across negatively. We appreciate your coverage of the meet.
Great meet each year with plenty of future stars.
I add to your already great list Meghan Lynch, Kate Douglass, Matthew Hirschberger, Madison Homovich, Joy Jiang, Brett Feyerick, James Jones and Sam Pomajevich.
And Townley Haas of course too. 😳