2022 Jr Pan Pacs: Australia and U.S. Set for Thrilling Battles (Psych Sheet)

2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships

The 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Honolulu, Hawaii are set to kick off in a few days. Swimmers from 10 countries and territories, including Australia, Canada, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, Samoa, Singapore, and the United States, are competing in this edition of Junior Pan Pacs.

The start lists for each event have been posted, so this post will be dedicated to detailing some of the highlights we’re looking forward to as we head into the meet. Be sure to check out our boys and girls storylines to watch once they’ve been published as well.

  • Boys Storylines
  • Girls Storylines

As we examine the entries for these Championships, one of the names that sticks out the most is Flynn Southam. An Australian 17-year-old, Southam has had an exceptional year, breaking onto the national scene within Australian swimming. A sprint freestyler, Southam enters Junior Pan Pacs as the top seed in the boys 50 free (22.39), 100 free (48.54), and 200 free (1:46.77). By seed time, Southam is a heavy favorite in both the 100 and 200 free. The 50 free will likely prove to be his most challenging race, as American 17-year-old Diggory Dillingham is seeded 2nd at 22.48, just 0.09 seconds behind Southam. That being said, Southam gave an interview this spring saying his focus for the summer was on Junior Pan Pacs. Given that, it’s very possible we see Southam’s best racing of the season at these Championships.

US 15-year-old Thomas Heilman is another name to watch heading into the meet. Heilman has been on a tear over the past year, taking down U.S. National Age Group Records seemingly every time he dives in the pool. The youngster is the top seed in the boys 100 fly (52.44), and a top 3 seed in the boys 200 fly (1:57.84), 100 free (49.67), and 50 free (22.89). Heilman has been steadily dropping time in championship meets over the past year, so definitely keep your eyes on him.

The girls sprint events are looking to be a thrilling battle between rising Australian and American stars. The girls 100 free is a particularly tightly seeded event, seeing the top 5 seeds all entered under 55 seconds. Australia’s Hannah Casey leads the pack, coming in with a 54.30, just ahead of USA’s Anna Moesch, entered at 54.33. Erin Gemmell (USA), Olivia Wunsch (AUS), and Milla Jansen (AUS) are all seed as 54s as well.

The roles are reversed in the girls 50 free, where Moesch is the top seed with her personal best of 24.92, which was set about a month ago. Casey is the #2 seed, coming in right behind at 24.96.

After an extraordinary performance at U.S. Nationals a few weeks ago, American Erin Gemmell enters the girls 200 free as the top seed by a huge margin. For context, Gemmell’s 1:56.14 a few weeks ago would have been enough to win bronze at the World Championships earlier this summer. The Americans look strong in the event as a whole, having a whopping 7 swimmers entered under 2:00.

Gemmell is also entered as the top seed in the girls 400 free, coming in at 4:06.17. Not only is Gemmell the top seed, but the U.S. is looking dominant in the event, entering with the top 4 seeds. Jillian Cox comes in at #2 (4:08.27), with Cavan Gormsen right behind (4:08.38), and Michaela Mattes entering as the 4th seed (4:09.80).

Japan has a similarly dominant group in the boys 400 IM. Ei Kamikawabata comes in as the top seed with a 4:16.61. Riku Yamaguchi (4:17.33), Riki Abe (4:18.46), and Tomoyuki Matsushita (4:18.88) and the next 3 seeds. There’s only 1 other swimmer under 4:20 in the event: American Cooper Lucas, who enters at 4:19.95.

Singaporean Nick Mahabir is another swimmer whose had a noisy summer. Mahabir competes for Singapore internationally, but lives and trains in the United States. At U.S. Nationals last month, Mahabir had a phenomenal meet, taking down the Singaporean Record in the 100 breast (1:00.37). Mahabir enters these Championships as the top seed in both the boys breaststroke events.

Japan’s Mio Narita enters the meet as the top seed in both girls IMs. Narita is by far the fastest swimmer coming into the girls 400 IM, entering at 4:36.71, which makes her the only swimmer in the field to have been under 4:40. She’s also the top seed in the girls 200 IM (2:11.41) by over a second.

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Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
2 years ago

USA Swimming
Women’s 100 meter freestyle
Calendar Year 2022 – Top Six
Huske – 52.92
Hinds – 53.53
Curzan – 53.58
Brown – 53.59
Walsh – 53.86
Douglass – 53.99

Let’s see if any of the female competitors at the 2022 Junior Pan Pacs can break into the top six.

https://www.swimcloud.com/times/?dont_group=false&event=1100&event_course=L&gender=F&page=1&region=country_USA&year=2022

NU Swim Fan
2 years ago

SwimSwam should do a combined WJC/Jr Pan Pac Results thread to crown the real world Junior champions

torchbearer
Reply to  NU Swim Fan
2 years ago

And a combined WC, Comm Games, European Games table too…..

bob
Reply to  NU Swim Fan
2 years ago

Include swimmers who cannot attend because they were at Worlds.(S
ummer McIntosh for example).A true under 18 virtual championship…no?

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
2 years ago

USA needs an upgrade to Mallory Comerford in the women’s 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay. Anna Moesch is a potential future replacement.

USA needs an upgrade to Leah Smith, Hali Flickinger, Alex Walsh in the women’s 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay. Erin Gemmell is a potential future replacement.

Curious
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
2 years ago

A few junior women under :55 this summer. Anna Moesch and Camille Spink

T B
2 years ago

“2022 JR PAN PACS: AUSTRALIA AND U.S. SET FOR THRILLING BATTLES (PSYCH SHEET)“ —> Where is the link to the psych sheet?

Admin
Reply to  T B
2 years ago

Unfortunately, organizers have not produced a single psych sheet PDF, so the only entry list is via the live results (event by event)

Ggplot
2 years ago

Is there a psych sheet? Am I just missing the link?

Admin
Reply to  Ggplot
2 years ago

Unfortunately, organizers have not produced a single psych sheet PDF, so the only entry list is via the live results (event by event)

Troyy
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

Not a PDF but close enough: https://pastebin.com/39pt3sXX

Admin
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

We’ve actually been sent a PDF by a parent of an athlete on the team…so got that added above 🙂

Verram
2 years ago

Any chance of a livestream or telecast ?

Troyy
Reply to  Verram
2 years ago

USA Swimming website will be streaming it.

Verram
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

Cool I hope it’s not geo restricted 😉

Gen D
2 years ago

The summer of endless distractions! I can’t say I mind, though, we’re spoiled.

Sally
Reply to  Gen D
2 years ago

Totally!

Troyy
Reply to  Gen D
2 years ago

Only a couple of weeks left and then there’s not much for a few months.

torchbearer
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

Yes, another World Championships (25m)!

Troyy
Reply to  torchbearer
2 years ago

I was hoping to see a full on assault at a home 25 worlds but there’s quite a lot of names missing from trials. Doesn’t help that trials is straight off the back of three taper meets.

Springfield's #1 Athlete
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

The field is good enough, the slog throughout the last few months and Junior Pan Pacs doesn’t help at all.
Times will probably be pedestrian, the big guns just want to qualify for Worlds and take a nice break.
And to let the uninformed know (write articles please), Australian SC Championships start tomorrow.
https://www.swimming.org.au/events-results/events/australian-short-course-championships-2022
Psych sheet: https://swimmingausprd.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-Australian-Short-Course-Championships-Final-Start-List.pdf
Streaming is, unfortunate.

Last edited 2 years ago by Springfield's #1 Athlete
Troyy
Reply to  Springfield's #1 Athlete
2 years ago

It really pains me to send money News Corp’s way for streaming.

Joel
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

Same. I’m debating what to do. It’s almost impossible to cancel once subscribed to news Corp. Amazon prime was supposed to have it. That’s what it said in the information booklet.

Troyy
Reply to  Joel
2 years ago

I already subscribed and they accept Paypal now so you can just cancel it from automatic payments instead of having to phone News Corp.

Joel
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

Thanks Troyy

Sub13
Reply to  Springfield's #1 Athlete
2 years ago

Kaylee in the 100 breast and Beata Nelson in the 100 back are both things I was not expecting to see there

KnG
Reply to  Springfield's #1 Athlete
2 years ago

Blocks don’t have wedges on them. Older blocks too. Racing is what you swim against in the pool, however I don’t expect much if any drops in sprinter events.

Gen D
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

I know, so let’s enjoy while it lasts!

Sub13
2 years ago

Completely forgot these were tomorrow! Can’t wait to see how these youngsters go

Robbos
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

It’s in Hawaii, so it will be more Thursday morning Aussie time.

Sub13
Reply to  Robbos
2 years ago

Ah true. At least finals will be on at 1pm (if I did the maths right?) so that’ll be good to watch… if we even can watch it here.