2017 Winter Juniors West: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2017 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – WEST

• December 6 – 9
• University of Iowa Recreation Center
• Iowa City, IA
• Live results
• Live stream
• Meet Central
• Saturday Finals Heat Sheet

The final session of the meet will feature the 1650, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, and 400 free relay. Michael Brinegar will be out for Gold in the mile, and has an outside shot at taking down a very fast meet record from Sean Grieshop. Katharine Berkoff will attempt to sweep the backstroke events with a win in the 200 tonight. Zoe Bartel and Daniel Roy will be out for their own records in the 200 breast, and Ruby Martin will have her shot at taking down the 200 fly meet record that was set by Ella Eastin.

GIRLS 1650 FREE

• West Meet Record: 15:56.39, Gabrielle Kopenski, 2014
• Jrs Meet Record: 15:56.39, Gabrielle Kopenski, 2014

1. Kaitlynn Sims – 16:10.94
2. Kate Sanderson – 16:20.30
3. Hayley Pike – 16:22.31

Kaitlynn Sims controlled the race from the start, settling into a 29-mid pace around the 300, and sticking with it the rest of the race. Sims looked smooth throughout the race, swimming into the touch 10 seconds ahead of the Silver Medalist, Kate Sanderson. Sanderson was in a relatively tight race with Bronze Medalist, Hayley Pike, the entire race. Pike was ahead of Sanderson up until halfway through, and never gained the lead again, but stayed right behind her until the end. Rounding out the top 8 was Mckenzee Gordon (16:31.84), Ashley Strouse (16:32.82), Eliot Kennedy (16:40.71), Allison Bernier (16:42.96), and Haley benjamin (16:43.08).

BOYS 1650 FREE

• West Meet Record: 14:45.40, Sean Grieshop, 2014
• Jrs Meet Record: 14:45.40, Sean Grieshop, 2014

1. Michael Brinegar – 14:37.40
2. Brennan Gravley – 15:06.41
3. Simon Lamar – 15:10.12

Michael Brinegar absolutely crushed everything – the field, his best time, the Junior Meet Record, the 17-18 all-time list – on his way to winning the mile in a jaw-dropping 14:37.71. His time blew away Sean Grieshop‘s already crazy-fast meet record of 14:45.40, and landed Brinegar in a tie for 2nd with Robert Fink on the all-time list for 17-18 boys. The NAG sits at 14:34.36 by P.J. Ransford. Brinegar got on his pace early, only splitting 5 27-points in the entire race. His 500 splits were 4:23.73, 4:26.49, 4:29.80, and his last 150 was a 1:17.69. Even more impressive, his final 50 was a 23.56.

Brennan Gravley and Simon Lamar were 2nd and 3rd. Gravley swam in the early heats.

GIRLS 200 BACK

• West Meet Record: 1:50.59, Clara Smiddy, 2013
• Jrs Meet Record: 1:50.59, Clara Smiddy, 2013

1. Lucie Nordmann – 1:52.18
2. Katharine Berkoff – 1:53.61
3. Ryhan White – 1:54.14

Katharine Berkoff led the race through the 150 mark, but fell off the pace pretty hard on the last 50, while Nordmann kept right at her own pace. Berkoff split a 30.66 on the last 50, whereas Nordmann split a 28.91, and that is where the race was decided. Nordmann did not have the fastest split in the field on the last 50 though, 4th place finisher, Isabelle Stadden threw down a 28.80 on her way to going a 1:55.67. Nordmann broke the pool record of 1:52.68, and went a personal best by nearly 2 seconds. Her previous best time stood at 1:53.92, which she swam just a few months ago at the College Challenge.

Samantha Shelton won the B final in a time of 1:55.67, which would have tied for 4th in the A final. Riley Lexvold took the C final with a 1:56.26.

BOYS 200 BACK

• West Meet Record: 1:40.79, Jacob Pebley, 2011
• Jrs Meet Record: 1:40.79, Jacob Pebley, 2011

1. Ethan Harder – 1:43.04
2. Harrison Lierz – 1:43.76
3. Spencer Walker – 1:44.68

15-year-old Harrison Lierz took the race out with nothing held back, from lane 1 no less, leading the race all the way up to the 175 mark. Lierz took his first 100 out in a blistering 49.40, the only swimmer under 50 seconds at the halfway point. It looked like Lierz just might take the whole thing from the outside but Ethan Harder‘s superior underwaters led him to a gold medal.

Jason Park won another B final, crushing the rest of the final and going 1:45.34, a best time by half a second. William Waite won the C final, dropping another second from his prelims best time performance, and posting a 1:47.32.

GIRLS 100 FREE

• West Meet Record: 46.29, Abbigail Weitzeil, 2014
• Jrs Meet Record: 46.29, Abbigail Weitzeil, 2014

1. Julia Cook – 48.37
2. Lucie Nordmann – 48.46
3. Amalie Fackenthal – 48.57

The top 3 seeds going into the meet came out as the top 3 finishers. Julia Cook held on to a charging Lucie Nordmann and Amalie Fackenthal on the last 25 to win in a best time by .07 seconds. Fackenthal also dropped a few hundredths off her personal best.

Ayla Spitz took the B final in a 49.26 – her 3rd 100 free of the day due to the swim-off she had to compete in this morning. On top of that, she swam faster every time – 49.99, 49.78, 49.26. Gabrielle Dang took the C final with the only sub-50 second performance, posting a 49.85.

BOYS 100 FREE

• West Meet Record: 41.23, Ryan Hoffer, 2015
• Jrs Meet Record: 41.23, Ryan Hoffer, 2015

1. Daniel Krueger – 42.79
2. Kaloyan Bratanov – 43.91
3. Kyle Leach – 43.92

Daniel Krueger blew away the field on his way to a huge best time and first-ever sub-43 100 free. Krueger expanded his lead the whole way through the race, taking it out in 20.43 and back in 22.36, the fastest splits in the field for both by a considerable amounts. In nearly as tight a finish as there can be Kaloyan Bratanov got his hand on the wall .01 seconds before Kyle Leach, edging him out for Silver.

Jack Dolan took the B final in a 44.07, which would have placed 4th in the A final. Bence Szabados won the C final with a 45.23.

GIRLS 200 BREAST

• West Meet Record: 2:07.73, Zoe Bartel, 2016
• Jrs Meet Record: 2:07.73, Zoe Bartel, 2016

1. Zoe Bartel – 2:07.44
2. Vanessa Pearl – 2:08.17
3. Zoie Hartman – 2:08.60

Zoe Bartel charged into the wall to take down her own meet record in an intense race between herself and Vanessa Pearl. All 3 of the top 3 finishers went best times, with Zoie Hartman having a huge breakthrough swim. Hartman’s best time in this event heading into the meet was 2:11.83, and she just demolished the 2:10 barrier, skipping over 2:09 entirely.

Noelle Peplowski won the B final in a very tight race with Claire Glover. Peoplowski put up a 2:13.50 compared to Glover’s 2:13.58. Kayla Jones took the C final with a 2:15.88.

BOYS 200 BREAST

• West Meet Record: 1:55.60, Daniel Roy, 2016
• Jrs Meet Record: 1:52.37, Reece Whitley, 2016

1. Zane Backes – 1:55.08
2. Daniel Roy – 1:55.33
3. Ananias Pouch – 1:56.47

Zane Backes took control in the 2nd 50 and held off a charging Daniel Roy at the end to win in a new West Meet Record of 1:55.08. Roy was also under the record, which he set last year. 15-year-old Ethan Dang took out the 1st 50 hard, but faded into 4th place down the stretch. Ananias Pouch rounded out the top 3.

Braden Vines won the B final, charging the back half to touch in 1:59.07. Shogo Moridaira won the C final in a best time of 2:01.44.

GIRLS 200 FLY

• West Meet Record: 1:54.37, Ella Eastin, 2014
• Jrs Meet Record: 1:54.37, Ella Eastin, 2014

1. Dakota Luther – 1:55.19
2. Ruby Martin – 1:56.05
3. Lillie Nordmann – 1:56.28

Dakota Luther had a stellar 3rd 50 that led her to a win in this event and a pool record. Ruby Martin took the lead during the 2nd 50 but was unable to hold off Luther. Lillie Nordmann came on strong in the last 50, but was unable to catch Martin or Luther. Olivia Carter smashed the meet record at the East meet.

Ashlyn Fiorilli took the B final with a 1:58.77. Hannah Fang won the C final on a fast last 50, posting a 2:00.23.

BOYS 200 FLY

• West Meet Record: 1:43.64, Robert McHugh, 2013
• Jrs Meet Record: 1:43.64, Robert McHugh, 2013

1. Andrew Koustik – 1:43.69
2. Jack Levant – 1:44.51
3. Seth Hendrix – 1:45.96

Andrew Koustik was out a second faster than the rest of the field, posting a 49.54 on the first 100. Jack Levant began to charge on the back half of the race, but appeared to short-stroke into the final turn, which halted his momentum. Koustik was able to charge into the finish virtually unopposed. Koustik also just barely missed the meet record of 1:43.64.

David Miller won the B final, posting a 1:47.76. Daniel Syrkin won the C final with a 1:48.17.

GIRLS 400 FREE RELAY

• West Meet Record: 3:16.62, SwimMAC Carolina, 2015
• Jrs Meet Record: 3:16.62, SwimMAC Carolina, 2015

1. Fort Collins ‘A’ – 3:18.28
2. Magnolia Aquatic Club ‘A’ – 3:19.57
3. Austin Swim Club ‘A’ – 3:20.42

The Fort Collins team of Audrey Reimer, Zoe Bartel, Coleen Gillilan, and Kylee Alons won yet another relay, taking off in the back half of the race to establish a large lead going into the finish. Their splits were as follows: Reimer 50.17, Bartel 50.22, Gillilan 49.03, Alons 48.86.

BOYS 400 FREE RELAY

• West Meet Record: 2:55.89, Bolles School Sharks, 2012
• Jrs Meet Record: 2:55.89, Bolles School Sharks, 2012

1. Irvine Novaquatics – 3:00.31
2. Chicago Wolfpack – 3:02.31
3. Rancho San Dieguito – 3:02.58

Irvine Novaquatics was the only team in the first 2 heats to make the top 3. Chicago Wolfpack and Rancho San Dieguito came from the 5th heat.