2017 Winter Juniors East: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2017 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

• December 6 – 9
• Allan Jones Aquatic Center
• Knoxville, TN
• Live results
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Stream

The 2017 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – East continue tonight in Knoxville, Tennessee. Swimmers are set to compete in finals of the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, and 200 free relay.

GIRLS’ 400 IM

• Jrs Meet Record: 4:02.51, Brooke Ford, 2016

1. GOLD: Olivia Carter, Enfinity Aquatics, 4:09.94
2. SILVER: Kelly Pash, Carmel Swim Club, 4:10.97
3. BRONZE: Madison Homovich, Marlins of Raleigh, 4:11.82

Carter took advantage of her front-half speed to establish an early lead by over a second, with Homovich turning in the only other sub-2:00 to that point. Carter continued to push ahead through the breast leg, while Pash reeled in Homovich. Carter was able to hold off a hard-charging Pash to win by a second, while Pash used a 27.16 closing split to secure silver. Carter dropped another 3 seconds to add to the 3 seconds she dropped in prelims, marking the first sub-4:10 swim of her career.

Homovich fell behind Lake Erie Silver’s Abigail Hay on the breast leg, but made a comeback on the free split to take the bronze. Hay finished 4th in 4:12.60, just out-touching Tampa Bay’s Christin Rockway (4:12.89). Notably, Nashville Aquatic Club’s Ella Nelson put up the 3rd fastest time of the night with her 4:11.13 from the B final.

BOYS’ 400 IM

• Jrs Meet Record: 3:44.26, Curtis Ogren, 2013

1. GOLD: Kieran Smith, Ridgefield Aquatic Club, 3:43.64
2. SILVER: Carson Foster, Mason Manta Rays, 3:44.16
3. BRONZE: Jacob Foster, Mason Manta Rays, 3:45.58

Smith trailed Carson Foster at the halfway mark, but took control of the race on the breast leg and never looked back. His winning time was a new combined juniors Meet Record and a lifetime best by 2.5 seconds. Foster was also under the former Meet Record to take the silver and a best by 2.5 seconds.

Foster’s brother and teammate, Jacob Foster, battled for the bronze with Delaware Swim Team’s Jacob Johnson (3:46.58). Johnson took it out in 1:48.41 to put himself in medal position, but Foster outsplit Johnson by nearly 4 seconds on the breast leg to move ahead and touch a second ahead of Johnson for the bronze. Foster was just slightly off his prelims time of 3:45.58.

GIRLS’ 100 FLY

• Jrs Meet Record: 51.73, Regan Smith, 2016

1. GOLD: Gabriela Albiero, Cardinal Aquatics, 52.59
2. SILVER: Tristen Ulett, Dynamo Swim Club, 52.94
3. BRONZE: Gertrude Rothrock, Carmel Swim Club, 53.02

A pair of 15-year-olds battled for the gold, as Albiero and Ulett were the only swimmers to break 53 seconds. Both trailed at the 50, putting up the 6th and 7th fastest split of the field respectively at the turn. Albiero was one of just two swimmers not the break 25 on the front half. They showcased their speed on the back half, with Albiero closing in 27.57 to win it and Ulett sneaking under 53 for the silver.

The race for the final podium spot was extremely close, with 7 hundredths separating 3rd through 6th. Rothrock put up the fastest front half of the field, and was able to hold everyone but Albiero and Ulett off as the field closed on her. Triton Swimming’s Tonner Debeer (53.03) was just a hundredth shy of the bronze. Nashville Aquatic Club’s 14-year-old Gretchen Walsh (53.07) clipped Gator Swim Club’s Talia Bates (53.09) by 2 hundredths to take 5th place.

BOYS’ 100 FLY

• Jrs Meet Record: 45.46, Ryan Hoffer, 2015

1. GOLD: Cody Bybee, Dayton Raiders, 46.50
2. SILVER: Drew Kibler, Carmel Swim Club, 46.83
3. BRONZE: Mason Wilby, Gator Swim Club, 47.33

Kibler set the pace up front, turning in 21.55 to Bybee’s 21.79. He controlled the race through the 75-yard mark, but Bybee was poised to make his move down the final stretch. Bybee put together a big underwater on the last lap, popping up ahead of Kibler to win it by 3 tenths. Bybee dropped about half a second, while Kibler put up his first sub-47 swim.

Wilby came through on the back half to pick up the bronze. He trailed Crimson Tide Aquatics’ Zachary Smith at the half, but roared back with a 24.97 closing split to take the final podium spot. Smith (47.62) wound up in 5th place, as Tennessee Aquatics’ Caleb Harrington (47.53) ran him down on the back half as well.

GIRLS’ 200 FREE

• Jrs Meet Record: 1:43.64, Isabel Ivey, 2016

1. GOLD: Kelly Pash, Carmel Swim Club, 1:45.25
2. SILVER: Mary Smutny, AK Sharks, 1:45.36
3. BRONZE: Morgan Tankersley, Greater Tampa, 1:45.84

On the back end of her double, Pash moved up from silver to gold. Pash came from behind, using a 26.48 closing split to win a close race with Smutny and Tankersley. At the half, Tankersley had the edge over Smutny by 8 hundredths, but Smutny pulled up ti tie Tankersley with a 50 to go. Smutny was nearly a half second faster on the final 50, touching for silver while Tankersley took bronze. Makos Aquatics’ Alena Kraus was the only other swimmer to break 1:47 with her 1:46.86.

BOYS’ 200 FREE

• Jrs Meet Record: 1:33.40, Drew Kibler, 2016

1. GOLD: Trey Freeman, Baylor Swim Club, 1:33.98
2. SILVER: Cody Bybee, Dayton Raiders, 1:34.92
3. BRONZE: Jack Walker, SwimMAC Carolina, 1:34.98

Freeman, who took silver in last night’s 500 free, came up with a gold this time around as he dominated the race with a lifetime best by a second. Bybee picked up medals in back-to-back events, taking the silver here as he put up a 23.71 final split to out-touch Walker. Metro Aquatic Club’s Aitor Fungairino (1:35.58) outpaced North Allegheny’s Mason Gonzalez (1:36.48) by a second on the back half, while Gonzalez out-touched Gator Swim Club’s Julian Hill (1:36.54) to round out the top 5.

GIRLS’ 100 BREAST

• Jrs Meet Record: 58.80, Alexandra Walsh, 2016

1. GOLD: Alex Walsh, Nashville Aquatic Club, 58.19
2. SILVER: Emily Weiss, Cardinal Community, 58.77
3. BRONZE: Kate Douglass, Chelsea Piers, 1:00.26

Walsh successfully defended her title, taking down her own Meet Record in the process. At the halfway mark, Walsh trailed Weiss by a hundredth, 27.55 to 27.56, but hammered home in 30.63 to win it. Weiss was also under the former Meet Record and put up the first sub-59 of her career. That marks Walsh’s second 15-16 NAG Record of the weekend, taking down the former mark of 58.80, which was also her Meet Record from last season.

Douglass picked up the bronze in her second swim of the night. She used her front-half speed to take the edge over Nashville Aquatic Club’s Allie Raab (1:00.61). In a tight race for 4th, Raab outsplit Marlins of Raleigh’s Abigail Arens (1:00.66) on the back half to out-touch Arens at the finish.

BOYS’ 100 BREAST

• Jrs Meet Record: 52.21, Michael Andrew, 2015

1. GOLD: Dillon Hillis, Bolles, 53.28
2. SILVER: William Chan, SwimMAC Carolina, 53.45
3. BRONZE: Jacob Foster, Mason Manta Rays, 53.46

It was a 3-man battle into the finish as the top 3 were all within 5 hundredths of each other after the front half and swam stroke-for-stroke into the wall. Hillis surged ahead at the last second to win it, while Chan just out-touched Foster for the silver. That was Foster’s second medal of the night. Hillis was just shy of his 53.26 from prelims, but today marked his first 2 swims ever under 54 seconds.

SwimMAC Carolina’s Timothy Connery joined Chan in the top 5, coming from behind to out-touch Saint Andrew’s Izaak Bastian, 54.47 to 54.58, for 4th place. Pittsburgh Elite’s Josh Matheny was also sub-55 with a 54.81 from the B final.

GIRLS’ 100 BACK

• Jrs Meet Record: 51.09, Regan Smith, 2016

1. GOLD:  Alex Walsh, Nashville Aquatic Club, 51.45
2. SILVER: Caitlin Brooks, Gator Swim Club, 52.88
3. BRONZE: Sinclair Larson, SwimMAC Carolina, 53.53

Fresh off the win in the 100 breast, Walsh came back to claim gold in this event minutes later. She trailed Brooks up front and it was close as they approached the final turn, but Walsh popped off the last turn with a great underwater to create a huge lead. Brooks held on for silver, while Sinclair won a tight race for 3rd.

The 3rd through 6th place finishers were all within 12 hundredths of each other. Larson came out on top, out-touching Lakeside Swim Team’s 14-year-old Annabel Crush (53.56), SwimMAC teammate Julia Menkhaus (53.58), and Marlins of Raleigh’s Grace Countie (53.65).

BOYS’ 100 BACK

• Jrs Meet Record: 45.48, Ryan Hoffer, 2015

1. GOLD: Destin Lasco, Pleasantville Aquatics, 46.73
2. SILVER: Drew Kibler, Carmel Swim Club, 47.06
3. BRONZE: Carson Foster, Mason Manta Rays, 47.15

Kibler and Foster set the pace up front, 22.75 to 22.97, as they were the only swimmers to break 23 on the front half. Lasco made his move on the back half, outsplitting them by over half a second to win it. That was nearly a full second drop from Lasco’s best time coming into today. Kibler held off a late charge from Foster to out-touch him for silver s they each picked up their second individual medal of the session. The only other swimmer to break 48 was SwimAtlanta’s Bradley Dunham, who snuck under the mark with a 47.95 for 4th place.

GIRLS’ 4×50 FREE RELAY

• Jrs Meet Record: 1:30.09, SwimMAC Carolina, 2015

1. GOLD: Nashville Aquatic Club, 1:30.62
2. SILVER: SwimMAC Carolina, 1:31.48
3. BRONZE: Gator Swim Club, 1:32.11

Nashville Aquatic Club nabbed another relay title, with Gretchen Walsh leading off in 22.42. She handed off to Allie Raab (23.02), while Lauren Hurt (23.57) took on the 3rd leg. Alex Walsh finished the job with a 21.61 anchor split. SwimMAC picked up silver with Olwyn Bartis putting up a 22.78 to lead off. Gator Swim Club’s Talia Bates helped them to bronze with a 22.14 anchor split to run down Cardinal Aquatics (1:32.23), who took 4th with a 22.79 leadoff from Gabriela Albiero.

BOYS’ 4×50 FREE RELAY

• Jrs Meet Record: 1:19.03, Bolles, 2012

1. GOLD: Allegheny North, 1:19.83
2. SILVER: Dayton Raiders, 1:20.58
3. BRONZE: Peddie Aquatics, 1:21.71

Mason Gonzalez led off for the champion Allegheny North squad in 20.34, followed by a 19.68 on the 2nd leg from Richard Mihm. Andrew Zhang took over the 3rd leg with a 20.20, while Jack Wright brought them home in 19.61. Cody Bybee had the fastest split of the field, anchoring in 19.46 for the runner-up Dayton Raiders. Joseph Black highlighted the Peddie Aquatics’ 3rd place finish with his 20.24 on the anchor leg.

The only swimmer to lead off sub-20 was Zionsville’s Jack Franzman, who put up a 19.83 to help his team to a 1:24.49 for 18th.