2018 Winter Junior Championships – West: Day 3 Prelims Recap

2018 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS- WEST

• December 5-8, 2018
• Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin Texas
• SCY (25y) Pool
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results

GIRLS 400 IM – PRELIMS

1. Kaitlynn Sims (Magnolia Aquatic Club) – 4:13.15
2. Zoie Hartman (Crow Canyon Country Club) – 4:15.01
3. Sarah Dimeco (Bellevue Club Swim Team) – 4:15.44
4. Lindsay Looney (Metroplex Aquatics) – 4:15.69
5. Ashlyn Fiorilli (Texas Ford Aquatics) – 4:15.78
6. Charity Pittard (Boise YMCA) – 4:15.99
7. Gillian Davey (Central Iowa Aquatics) – 4:16.91
8. Megan Van Berkom (Springfield YMCA) – 4:17.21

Last night’s 500 free runner-up, Kaitlynn Sims, led the way this morning in the 400 IM prelims. The Magnolia Aquatic Club distance specialist and Michigan commit swam to a 4:13.15, a good three seconds ahead of her seed time. In true distance swimmer fashion, Sims made her big move on the freestyle leg, splitting 29.22/27.98 for a 57.20 last 100.

Last night’s 200 IM champ, Crow Canyon’s Zoie Hartman, clocked a 4:15.01 for 2nd, with BCST’s Sarah Dimeco (4:15.44), Metroplex’s Lindsay Looney (4:15.69), Texas Ford’s Ashlyn Fiorilli (4:15.78), and Boise YMCA’s Charity Pittard (4:15.99) all bunched up in the 4:15’s.

BOYS 400 IM – PRELIMS

1. Will Goodwin (DU Hilltoppers) – 3:51.79
2. Jordan Tiffany (Scottsdale Aquatic Club) – 3:51.93
3. Kevin Vargas (La Mirada Armada) – 3:52.04
4. Jason Schreiber (Mission Viejo Nadadores) – 3:53.17
5. Zachary Tan (Phoenix Swim Club) – 3:53.59
6. Jack Hoagland (Charger Aquatics) – 3:53.82
7. Ben Miller (Tigard Tualatin) – 3:54.28
8. Jed Michael Jones (Metroplex) – 3:54.36

DU Hilltoppers’ Will Goodwin and Scottsdale’s Jordan Tiffany both dropped 3:51’s this morning, with Goodwin slightly ahead, 3:51.79 to 3:51.93. Not far behind was Kevin Vargas of La Mirada Armada at 3:52.04.

Tigard Tualatin’s Ben Miller (3:54.28) and Metroplex’s Jed Michael Jones (3:54.36) both dropped over three seconds to get into this final.

Perhaps overlooked at 17th was SOCAL’s Tona Zinn. 14 years old, he was 3:56.50 this morning, which pushes him to #8 in the 13-14 historical rankings, jumping ahead of Michael Phelps. Last night, Zinn posted a 1:49.32 200 IM, which put him at #4 in 13-14 history.

GIRLS 100 FLY – PRELIMS

1. Lillie Nordmann (Magnolia Aquatic Club) – 52.61
2. Coleen Gillilan (Fort Collins) – 52.85
3. Gabby Dang (Bellevue Club Swim Team) – 52.88
4. Emma Sticklen (Katy Aquatic Team) – 53.13
5. Justina Kozan (Brea Aquatics) – 53.38
6. Kobie Melton (Arkansas) – 53.44
7. Renee Gillilan (Fort Collins) – 53.48
8. Zephy Koh (Brea Aquatics) – 53.63

Three girls broke past 53.0 this morning, led by Magnolia’s Lillie Nordmann at 52.61, which was a lifetime best by two tenths. Nordmann split a 51.55 on the medley relay last night. Fort Collins had the Gillilan sisters grab 2nd and 7th, with Coleen at 52.85 ahead of BCST’s Gabby Dang (52.88) and Renee Gillilan breaking 54 for the first time at 53.48.

Gillilan, just 14, moves up to a tie for 14th in the 13-14 rankings, tied with Nordmann and just ahead of American record holder Dana Vollmer. Justina Kozan was one of two Brea Aquatics swimmers to make the A final, and Kozan, at 14, was 53.38 to finish less than a second off of her best.

BOYS 100 FLY – PRELIMS

1. Luca Urlando (DART Swimming) – 45.97
2. Ethan Hu (Peak Swimming) – 46.97
3. Aiden Hayes (Sooner Swim Club) – 47.50
4. Connor Lee (Rosemead Rapids) – 47.62
5. Danny Syrkin (Rose Bowl Aquatics) – 47.77
6. Brooks Taner (PASA) – 47.87
7. Bence Szabados (Chicago Wolfpack) – 47.91
8. Dalton Lowe (Spring Swim Team) – 48.06

DART’s Luca Urlando was an absolute force this morning, breaking Michael Andrew’s 100 fly 15-16 NAG and becoming the youngest swimmer to go 45 seconds in this event. Urlando was out like a light, going 21.51 on the first 50, and still had the fastest time coming home (24.46). Fellow 16-year-old Ethan Hu of Peak Swimming had a great swim, too, going 46.97. That’s a tenth off of his best, a 46.86 which ranks 6th all-time in 15-16.

Sooner Swim Club’s Aiden Hayes had a great swim, not to be overlooked, either. Just 15 years old, Hayes took eight tenths off of his seed time, and his 47.50 this morning puts him 5th all-time for 15-year-olds in SCY history.

GIRLS 200 FREE – PRELIMS

1. Regan Smith (Riptide) – 1:45.61
2. Quinn Schaedler (Longhorn Aquatics) – 1:46.20
3. Nicole Oliva (Santa Clara Swim Club) – 1:46.32
4. Ella Ristic (Irvine Novaquatics) – 1:46.41
5. Samantha Pearson (Brea Aquatics) – 1:46.68
6. Ayla Spitz (Irvine Novaquatics) – 1:46.95
7. Justina Kozan (Brea Aquatics) – 1:47.24
8. Lillie Nordmann (Magnolia Aquatic Club) – 1:47.42

This A-final is largely comprised of Californians, with five of the eight-fastest girls this morning hailing from the golden state. Topping them all, though, was Riptide’s Regan Smith at 1:45.61. That’s over a second off of her best, a 1:44.30 from her 800 free relay lead off Wednesday night. Smith, last night, smacked down with no mercy, clocking a meet record 4:37.10 in the 500 free, which is maybe her 6th- or 7th-best event (if that?), before erasing her own 15-16 NAG in the 100 back with a 50.58 in her 400 medley relay lead-off.

Longhorn Aquatics’ Quinn Schaedler was 2nd this morning in 1:46.20, with Nicole Oliva leading the California charge in a new best of 1:46.32.

BOYS 200 FREE – PRELIMS

1. Peter Larson (Edina Swim Club) – 1:35.32
2. Coby Carrozza (Longhorn Aquatics) – 1:35.37
3. Michael Petrides (Kamehama Swim Club) – 1:35.65
4. Max Saunders (Santa Clara Swim Club) – 1:35.71
5. Jack Dolan (Rockwood Swim Club) – 1:36.10
6. Christian Bathurst (Beach Cities) – 1:36.46
7. Colby Mefford (Sierra Marlins) – 1:37.49
8. Luke Thornbrue (Hillsboro Swim Team) – 1:37.50

Peter Larson of Edina Swim Club led a tight quarter of swimmers at the top, going 1:35.32. The top four swimmers all had lifetime bests. Larson dropped from 1:36.26 to 1:35.32, Coby Carrozza (last night’s 500 free champion) went from 1:36.76 to 1:35.37, and Michael Petrides dropped from 1:36.25 to 1:35.65.

A huge swim came from Max Saunders of Santa Clara Swim Club, who came into the meet with a 1:40.22, only to completely unearth that for a 1:35.71 and a drop of over four seconds. Christian Bathurst of Beach Cities also had a nice drop, going from 1:38.17 to 1:36.46.

GIRLS 100 BREAST – PRELIMS

1. Zoie Hartman (Crow Canyon Country Club) – 1:00.56
2. Kaitlyn Dobler (The Dolphins Portland) – 1:00.99
3. Coleen Gillilan (Fort Collins) – 1:01.48
4. Kiara Xanthos (Texas Ford Aquatics) – 1:01.56
5. Ellie Jew (Lake Oswego Swim Club) – 1:01.61
6. Edenna Chen (Colorado Springs) – 1:01.63
7. Grace Bennin (Madison Aquatic Club) – 1:01.84
8. Melanie Julia (PASA) – 1:01.87

Crow Canyon’s Zoie Hartman set herself up for another title, clocking a 1:00.56 to lead prelims this morning. The Dolphins Portland’s Kaitlyn Dober was also under 1:01 at 1:00.99, followed by Coleen Gillilan at 1:01.48. The three of them have all been under 1:00, so look for at least one of them to hit a 59 tonight.

Kiara Xanthos had a big swim for Texas Ford, as the 14-year-old took over a second off of her best to clock a 1:01.56 for 4th-best this morning. In 13-14 history, that moves her up to #11 all-time, just ahead of Emily Weiss, the current national HS record holder.

BOYS 100 BREAST – PRELIMS

1. Forrest Frazier (Eastern Iowa) – 53.16
2. Will Myhre (St. Charles Swim Team) – 53.20
3. AJ Pouch (Team Rebel Aquatics) – 53.71
4. Ethan Dang (King Aquatic Club) – 53.92
5. Shane Blinkman (St Croix Swim Club)  – 54.29
6. Daniel Worth (Empire KC Swim Club) – 54.45
7. Alejandro Flores (West Coast Aquatics) – 54.71
8. Kevin Houseman (Bainbridge Island) – 54.76

16-year-old Forrest Frazier of Eastern Iowa edged out St Charles Swim Team’s Will Myhre this morning, going 53.16 to Myhre’s 53.20, with AJ Pouch and Ethan Dang also under 54, at 53.71 and 53.92, respectively.

Frazier now ranks #5 all-time in the 15-16 age group, just ahead of Andrew Seliskar and just behind Maxwell McHugh, who are currently two of the best SCY breaststrokers in the country. Frazier, Myhre, and Pouch all broke 54.0 for the first time in their careers.

GIRLS 100 BACK – PRELIMS

1. Katharine Berkoff (Missoula Aquatic Club) – 50.83
2. Isabelle Stadden (Aquajets) – 52.29
3. Tea Laughlin (Buenaventure Swim Club) – 52.58
4. Emma Sticklen (Katy Aquatic Team) – 53.24
5. Meredith Rees (Pikes Peak Athletic Club) – 53.66
6. Alexandra Crisera (Beach Cities) – 53.80
7. Sophia Kosturos (Crow Canyon Country Club) – 53.87
8. Zoe Cosgrove (DART Swimming) – 53.89

Katharine Berkoff, who broke a minute this summer in the long course version of her event, got a very satisfying drop in this event this morning. Coming in with a 51.93, she was over a full second faster, clocking a very impressive 50.83. The NC State commit (and the Wolfpack must be very excited about this as they’re about to graduate All-American backstroker Elise Haan) is now the #3 all-time performer in the 17-18 100 back, behind only Amy Bilquist (50.50) and Rachel Bootsma (50.54) and jumping ahead of Claire Adams (50.95), Missy Franklin (50.97), and Kathleen Baker (51.05).

That’s a whole lot of Cal Bears, but Berkoff will have a shot at the NAG record tonight

Notably, Regan Smith set the 15-16 NAG last night at 50.58, though she’s still 16 and her times don’t have any impact yet on the 17-18 rankings. Smith will race for the 200 free title tonight, as she’s not racing backstroke individually this meet.

Isabelle Stadden of Aquajets, another in a crop of young American backstrokers approaching world-class times in LCM, was about a second off of her best with a 52.29 — Stadden did race the 100 breast, though, right before this event. 16-year-old Tea Laughlin had a strong swim, knocking two tenths off of her best with a 52.58 to be the third and final swimmer under 53 this morning. Katy Aquatic Team’s Emma Sticklen was 53.24, and she finishes the morning with the 4th seed in this event and in the 100 fly going into tonight.

BOYS 100 BACK – PRELIMS

1. Luca Urlando (DART Swimming) – 45.99
2. Aiden Hayes (Sooner Swim Club) – 47.26
3. Ethan Harder (Billings Aquatic Club) – 47.74
4. Jack Dolan (Rockwood Swim Club) – 47.81
5. Peter Larson (Edina Swim Club) – 47.85
6. Harrison Lierz (Unattached) – 48.39
7. Ronald Dalmacio (Rose Bowl Aquatics) – 48.64
8. Gavin Olson (Foothills Swim Team) – 48.67

Luca Urlando was again untouchable, taking almost a full second off of his old best of 46.83 to break 46.0 in the 100 back this morning, hitting a 45.99. Only Destin Lasco has been faster in 15-16 history, and barely so, with a 45.93 from earlier this year.

15-year-old Aiden Hayes excelled, too, slicing almost two full seconds off of his seed time to clock a 47.26. Again, not to be outdone, Hayes, as it figures, is now the fastest 15-year-old in history in this event. The old fastest-15-year-old-in-history? None other than Luca Urlando, who was 47.38 this spring. Hayes actually held strong going out in this race, with Urlando at 22.38 and Hayes at 22.45, but Urlando left everyone reeling with a 23.61 back half, as Hayes was 24.81 coming home.

14-year-old Ronald Dalmacio swam to a time of 48.64, a new lifetime best. He was 48.74 leading off Rose Bowl’s B medley relay last night, which moved him to #4 all-time in 13-14 history and which was a lifetime best by over a second. Now, a tenth faster, he jumps to #2 all-time, behind only Michael Andrew (47.83) and Mr. Urlando (48.71).