2022 Speedo Winter Juniors West – Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2022 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – West

• December 7-10, 2022
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, Texas
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
• Prelims @10:00AM ET, Finals at 6:00 PM ET (except for day 1 timed finals)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Storylines to Watch
• Live Results
• Live Stream

Saturday Finals Heat Sheet

We have come upon the final session of the 2022 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – West, where we have timed finals of the 1650 free and the 400 free relay and finals of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. Bella Sims of Sandpipers of Nevada will be looking to complete a clean sweep of her six events, and coming into finals as the top seed in the 200 back and 200 fly, she is in good position. Her teammate Katie Grimes will swim those same two events, plus the 1650 free timed final at the start of the session.

Keaton Jones broke the meet record in the 200 back in prelims; he leads qualifiers for tonight’s final by over 3.3 seconds. The boys’ 100 free final will be exciting, with all eight entrants separated by only seven-tenths of a second.

Girls’ 1650 Yard Freestyle – Timed Finals

• Meet Record: 15:34.72, Katie Grimes (2021)
• Pool Record: 15:28.36, Katie Ledecky
• 13-14 NAG Record: 15:52.84, Claire Weinstein (2021)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 15:15.17, Katie Ledecky (2013)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 15:13.30, Katie Ledecky (2014)

Top 8:

1. Katie Grimes (SAND) – 15:26.17 MEET RECORD, POOL RECORD
2. Claire Weinstein (SAND) – 15:53.83
3. Kayla Han (RMDA) – 16:05.75
4. Mattea Sokolow (TSM) – 16:16.56
5. Elise Clift (MAC) – 16:23.64
6. Danielle Gleason (PSC) – 16:25.63
7. Chloe Mudadu (SAND) – 16:28.99
8. Madi Mintenko (PPA) – 16:29.61

Watching Katie Grimes swim the mile is reminiscent of watching another Katie… the only real race going on is the one against the clock. Grimes took it out quickly and was already 2.8 seconds ahead of teammate Claire Weinstein at the 200. Mila Nikanorov was in third place through the 200 but fell off as Elise Clift and Kayla Han moved up. That pair battled for third until the 600, when Han took off and left Clift in her wake.

Grimes continued to put distance between herself and the rest of the field, eventually lapping everyone but Weinstein. Grimes won with a new PB of 15:26.17, lowering her own meet record and taking down Katie Ledecky’s pool record. Weinstein was just off her best time, touching second in 15:53.83. Han’s 16:05.75 moves her into the top-10 all-time in the 15-16 age group (Grimes ranks 9th with 16:05.03).

Danielle Gleason, Chloe Mudado, and Madi Mintenko, the three fastest out of the earlier heats, finished among the top 8.

Boys’ 1650 Yard Freestyle – Timed Finals

• Meet Record: 14:37.91, Michael Brinegar (2017)
• Pool Record: 14:23.09, Felix Auboeck
• 13-14 NAG Record: 15:05.83, Sean Green (2022)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 14:37.86, Liam Custer (2020)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 14:34.36, PJ Ransford (2015)

Top 8:

1. Luke Ellis (SAND) – 14:49.79
2. Rex Maurer (ROSE) – 14:54.71
3. Max Hatcher (LAC) – 15:04.80
4. Jacob Pins (DMSF) – 15:05.72
5. Dillon Wright (SAND) – 15:06.66
6. Jones Lambert (LSC) – 15:16.02
7. Julien Rousseau (PS) – 15:16.20
8. Jack Hendrick (LAC) – 15:17.02

Rose Bowl’s Rex Maurer was out like a shot in the boys’ final, going up by a body length at the 50 and leading by 1.5 seconds at the 100. He continued to build his lead with ever 50, until he was up by nearly 3 bodies at the 500. Luke Ellis from Sandpipers of Nevada, hanging back in second, began to close the gap over the middle 500 yards. He chipped away at Maurer’s lead with each 50 until he finally took over at the 1250. The two leaders couldn’t have been more different, stylistically: Maurer has a long stroke and had an advantage on the turns; Ellis was more athletic, with a faster rate on the straightaway but he lost ground to Maurer coming off the walls.

Ellis really took off at the 1350, shutting down the race with three 26s and a 25 on the final 200 yards. He claimed the title with a PB of 14:49.79. Maurer, whose goal coming into the meet was a sub-20-second 50 free and a sub-15-minute mile, was runner-up with 14:54.71. Goal accomplished! Ellis, meanwhile, moved up to #3 all-time in the boys’ 15-16 age category.

Max Hatcher, with the fastest time from the earlier heats, earned the bronze medal with 15:04.80. Jones Lambert, Julien Rousseau, and Jack Hendrick also made top-8 from the early heats.

Girls’ 200 Yard Backstroke – Finals

• Meet Record: 1:50.16, Katherine Berkoff (2018)
• Pool Record: 1:47.24, Beata Nelson (2019)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:51.07, Missy Franklin (2010)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:48.30, Regan Smith (2018)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:47.16, Regan Smith (2019)

Top 8:

1. Bella Sims (SAND) – 1:48.32 MEET RECORD
2. Teagan O’Dell (MVN) – 1:51.00
3. Katie Grimes (SAND) – 1:52.04
4. Finley Anderson (TOPS) – 1:53.60
5. Charlotte Wilson (TOPS) – 1:54.50
6. Maggie McGuire (SCAL) – 1:56.31
7. Mary Macaulay (HRA) – 1:56.52
8. Erica Jaffe (SMST) – 1:57.15

Bella Sims won her fifth individual gold medal in the 200 back, with yet another meet record. Out in 25.6, she was already half a body ahead of Mission Viejo’s Teagan O’Dell at the 50. She proceeded to split 27.1 / 27.7 / 27.7 to clock a PB of 1:48.32, which ties her for #2 all-time in the 15-16 age group.

O’Dell’s one-second lead on Katie Grimes at the 100 put her in good stead to take the silver medal. Although slightly outsplit by Grimes over the second half of the race, O’Dell had enough cushion to take the silver medal with a comfortable margin, 1:51.00 to 1:52.04.

Boys’ 200 Yard Backstroke – Finals

• Meet Record: 1:40.32, Keaton Jones (2022)
• Pool Record: 1:36.42, John Shebat (2019)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:43.15, Michael Andrew (2014)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:40.90, Ryan Murphy (2011)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:37.35, Ryan Murphy (2014)

Top 8:

1. Maximus Williamson (LAC) – 1:40.88 15-16 NAG RECORD
2. Keaton Jones (NEP) – 1:41.43
3. Nate Germonprez (ISWM) – 1:42.49
4. Humberto Najera (EVO) – 1:44.20
5. Anthony Laurito (AQUA) – 1:44.71
6. Will Jones (UOA) – 1:45.06
7. Dean Jones (MAC) – 1:46.11
8. (DQ – Luke Ellis, SAND)

Swim Neptune’s Keaton Jones, who had broken the meet record in the morning, was swimming in lane 4, but it was Maximus Williamson of Lakeside Aquatic who took control of the race from the outset. Williamson blasted off with 23.52 on the first 50 and followed up with 25.3, 25.9, and 26.0. Taking 2.1 seconds off his previous PB, he clocked a 1:40.88 to break Ryan Murphy’s national age group record of 1:40.90 from 2011.

Jones was just behind in second place throughout the race; he finished with 1:41.43 but his name remains in the record book with his 1:40.32 from prelims.

Third place went to Nate Germonprez with 1:42.49. After trailing Anthony Laurito at the 50, he moved into third place at the 100 and held on through the finish.

1650 champion Luke Ellis was disqualified for delaying a turn.

Girls’ 100 Yard Freestyle – Finals

• Meet Record: 46.29, Abby Weitzeil (2014)
• Pool Record: 46.26, Mallory Comerford (2019)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 47.67, Claire Curzan (2019)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 47.23, Claire Curzan (2020)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 46.09, Simone Manuel (2015)

Top 8:

1. Teagan O’Dell (MVN) – 48.47
2. Rebecca Diaconescu (TRA) – 48.68
3. Claire Weinstein (SAND) – 48.76
4. Madeleine Herbert (TRA) – 48.78
5. Asia Kozan (MVN) – 49.96
6. Madi Mintenko (PPA) – 49.24
7. Bella Brito (CITI) – 49.27
8. Helena Jones (LOSC) – 49.46

Beach Cities’ Bella Brito jumped out to a quick start from an outside lane, flipping first at the 25 and the 50 (23.36). Just behind Brito were Madeleine Hebert from Team Rebel Aquatics (23.39) and Mission Viejo’s Teagan O’Dell (23.40), fresh off her silver-medal performance in the 200 back.

The second half belonged to O’Dell, though, as she came home in 25.07 to get the win in 48.47. Rebecca Diaconescu went 25.06 on the back half to scoot past her TRA teammate Hebert. She finished in second place with 48.68, just holding off a strong challenge from Claire Weinstein (48.76), who came home in 24.8 to edge Hebert by .02.

Boys’ 100 Yard Freestyle – Finals

• Meet Record: 41.23, Ryan Hoffer (2015)
• Pool Record: 40.80, Dean Farris (2019)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 43.51, Thomas Heilman (2021)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 42.21, Kaii Winkler (2022)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 41.23, Ryan Hoffer (2015)

Top 8:

1. Maximus Williamson (LAC) – 42.61
2. Ethan Harrington (PASA) – 42.92
3. Cade Duncan (DADS) – 42.94
4. Jacob Wimberly (TFA) – 43.44
5. Diggory Dillingham (BEND) – 43.47
6. Sonny Wang (NTRO) – 43.58
7. Rex Maurer (ROSE) – 43.66
8. Hayden Bellotti (FCST) – 43.71

It was 50 free champion Ethan Harrington of Palo Alto Stanford who led the charge in the boys’ 100 free final; he turned first at the 25 and was just .02 behind Diggory Dillingham at the 50. But no one could keep Maximus Williamson in check, as he roared to the finish over the second 50 yards to win his sixth event. Williamson split his race 20.4/22.1 to clock a 42.61. Harrington held off a strong charge by Cade Duncan of Dads Club and eked out the silver medal, 42.94 to 42.94.

Williamson finished the meet with individual wins in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 back, 200 back, and 100 free and a fifth in the 50 free.

Girls’ 200 Yard Breaststroke – Finals

• Meet Record: 2:06.02, Alex Walsh (2018)
• Juniors West Meet Record: 2:07.44 12, Zoe Bartel (2017)
• Pool Record: 2:02.90, Lily King (2019)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 2:10.22, Allie Szekely (2012)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 2:06.45, Alex Walsh (2018)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 2:05.68, Ella Nelson (2020)

Top 8:

1. Lydia Jacoby (TEX) – 2:06.81 WEST MEET RECORD
2. Bella Brito (CITI) – 2:10.15
3. Piper Enge (BC) – 2:10.31
4. Avery Collins (LAC) – 2:10.42
5. (tie) Kaitlyn Nguyen (NOVA) / Caroline Bricker (PPA) – 2:12.41
6. –
7. Lucy Warnick (SAND) – 2:14.60
8. Grace Rabb (AQJT) – 2:15.33

Texas freshman Lydia Jacoby broke the Winter Juniors West meet record with a dominant 2:06.81 in the final of the girls’ 200 breast. No one was anywhere near Jacoby, who was already over a body length in front of the field at the 50 wall. She split 27.85 / 32.3 / 33.0 / 33.5, going out in 1:00 and coming home in 1:06.

Bellevue Club’s Piper Enge, CITI’s Bella Brito, Lakeside’s Avery Collins, and Irvine Nova’s Kaitlyn Nguyen were bunched together with 1:02 lows-to-mids at the halfway mark. Brito, Enge, and Collins came home with 1:07s and finished second, third and fourth overall in 2:10.15, 2:10.31, and 2:10.42.

Boys’ 200 Yard Breaststroke – Finals

• Meet Record: 1:52.12, Josh Matheny (2019)
• Pool Record: 1:48.66, Kevin Cordes (2014)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:55.52, Reece Whitley (2014)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:52.37, Reece Whitley (2016)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:51.38, Josh Matheny (2020)

Top 8:

1. Jake Eccleston (LOVE) – 1:54.50
2. Logan Brown (FCST) – 1:55.49
3. Joshua Corn (FST) – 1:55.71
4. Daniel Li (ROSE) – 1:55.74
5. Andrew Zou (TXLA) – 1:56.68
6. Lance Johnson (EBSC) – 1:57.29
7. Keller Morgan (EVO) – 1:59.79
8. Finnley Conklin (OCSC) – 2:00.01

Rose Bowl’s Daniel Li established the pace over the first 50 yards, leading the pack with 26.13 at the turn. Foothills Swim Team’s Logan Brown was just .02 behind, with Loveland’s Jake Eccleston, Elmsbrook’s Lance Johnson, and First Colony’s Logan Brown heading into the second 50 with 26.2s under their belt. Eccleston came off the wall and shot to the front. He went 28.9 on the second 50 and was 55.1 at the 100 wall. Corn was just a tenth back and the two had separated themselves from the rest of the field.

Eccleston came home in 29.3 / 30.0 to secure the win ahead of Brown (1:55.49) and Corn (1:55.71). Li finished just off the podium with 1:55.74.

Girls’ 200 Yard Butterfly – Finals

• Meet Record: 1:51.24, Regan Smith (2018)
• Pool Record: 1:50.28, Louise Hansson (2019)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:55.29, Tess Howley (2019)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:51.24, Regan Smith (2018)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:50.85, Claire Curzan (2022)

Top 8:

1. Bella Sims (SAND) – 1:51.06
2. Katie Grimes (SAND) – 1:54.92
3. Bailey Hartman (CROW) – 1:55.06
4. Katie Walker (MAC) – 1:56.24
5. Macky Hodges (SAND) – 1:56.74
6. Kelsey Zhang (PASA) – 1:56.88
7. Maggie Schalow (NOVA) – 1:57.27
8. Ava Whitaker (AMBU) – 1:58.41

Bella Sims completed her sweep of six individual events, taking 2.85 seconds off her previous PB to win the 200 fly in a meet-record time of 1:51.06. She now ranks #3 all-time in the 17-18 age group behind Claire Curzan and Ella Eastin.

Crow Canyon’s Bailey Hartman was in second place at the 100 and 150 walls but finished third thanks to a 30.0 final 50 from Katie Grimes, who edged her 1:54.92 to 1:55.06, for the silver medal.

Boys’ 200 Yard Butterfly – Finals

• Meet Record: 1:40.91, Luca Urlando (2018)
• Pool Record: 1:38.57, Andreas Vazaios (2019)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:42.77, Thomas Heilman (2021)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:40.91, Luca Urlando (2018)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:40.39, Aiden Hayes (2022)

Top 8:

1. David Schmitt (EVO) – 1:43.39
2. Cooper Lucas (LAC) – 1:43.50
3. Diego Nosack (THSC) – 1:44.61
4. Colin Geer (GWSC) – 1:44.71
5. Arthur Balva (PASA) – 1:44.77
6. Jacob Wimberly (TFA) – 1:45.27
7. Carter Ruthven (LOVE) – 1:45.61
8. Max Cahill (ROSE) – 1:47.01

It looked a bit like musical chairs in the championship final of the 200 fly, with first Jacob Wimberly of Texas Ford, then Palo Alto Stanford’s Arthur Balva, then Lakeside’s Cooper Lucas, and finally Evolution’s David Schmitt in the lead after each 50. Schmitt came home with a pair of 26.4s after having been in fourth place at the halfway mark.

Lucas maintained his position in second place, while Diego Nosack of Tualatin Hills and Colin Geer from Golden West edged past Balva for third and fourth.

Schmitt (1:43.39) and Lucas (1:43.50) both finished with sub-1:44 PBs.

Girls’ 4×100 Yard Freestyle – Timed Finals

• Meet Record: 3:16.62, SwimMAC Carolina (2015)
• Pool Record: 3:06.96, California (Murphy, McLaughlin, Bilquist, Weitzeil)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 3:21.90, Nation’s Capital Swim Club (2019)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 3:19.17, Gator Swim Club (2019)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 3:16.62, SwimMAC Carolina (2015)
• 15-18 NAG Record: 3:15.38, Carmel Swim Club (2015)

Top 8:

1. Sandpipers of Nevada – 3:13.15 MEET RECORD, 15-18 NAG RECORD
2. Mission Viejo – 3:16.70
3. Bellevue Club – 3:20.36
4. Nitro Swimming – 3:21.02
5. Dallas Mustangs – 3:21.84
6. Alamo Area – 3:22.24
7. Orinda – 3:22.84
8. Crow Canyon – 3:22.99

Bella Sims led off the Sandpipers’ relay with 47.16, a PB by 1 second, to become the all-time fifth-fastest in the 15-16 age group behind Simone Manual, Abbey Weitzeil, and Gretchen Walsh. From there, Katie Grimes (48.70), Macky Hodges (48.59), and Claire Weinstein (48.70) completed the job to give the Sandpipers another big relay win and meet record of 3:13.15.

The quartet also took down the 15-18 national age group record.

Mission Viejo (Teia Salvino, Asia Kozan, Gracyn Aquino, and Teagan O’Dell) finished second, thanks in no small part to a 48.08 anchor from O’Dell.

Boys’ 4×100 Yard Freestyle – Timed Finals

• Meet Record: 2:55.89, Bolles School Sharks (2012)
• Pool Record: 2:45.12, Texas (Krueger, Shebat, Jackson, Haas)
• 13-14 NAG Record: 3:07.45, Cavalier Aquatics (2021)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 2:59.57, Rose Bowl Aquatics (2021)
• 17-18 NAG Record: 2:15.35, Spartan Swim Club (2021)
• 15-18 NAG Record: 2:53.18, Allegheny North Swim Club (2018)

Top 8:

1. Lakeside Aquatic Club – 2:54.75 MEET RECORD
2. Rose Bowl – 2:54.96
3. Swim Neptune – 2:56.25
4. Nitro Swimming – 2:56.88
5. North Bay – 2:58.77
6. Lake Oswego – 2:59.58
7. Irvine Novaquatics – 2:59.89
8. Scottsdale Aquatic Club – 3:00.00

Swimming in the last heat of the boys with a seed time of 3:05.27, Lakeside Aquatic Club undercut the Rose Bowl’s newly-minted meet record of 2:54.96, swum earlier in the evening in the fastest heat, by .21 to win with 2:54.75. Maximus Williamson led off with 42.49, .12 faster than his winning time in the 100 free. He was followed by River Paulk (44.25), Max Hatcher (44.66), and Cooper Lucas (43.35).

Rose Bowl’s short-lived record was produced by Nathan Kim (44.40), Rex Maurer (42.74), Zach Larrick (44.10), and Jonathan Gim (43.72).

Swim Neptune, who finished third with 2:56.25, had a notable anchor from Keaton Jones of 42.79.

Final Girls’ Top 10 Team Rankings

1. Sandpipers of Nevada 565
2. Mission Viejo Nadadores 386
3. Bellevue Club Swim Team 248
4. (tie) Univ of Denver Hilltoppers / Crow Canyon Sharks 176
5. –
6. Aquajets Swim Team 167
7. Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics 135
8. Irvine Novaquatics 106.5
9. Pikes Peak 97.5
10. Nitro Swimming 97

Final Boys’ Top 10 Team Rankings

1. Lakeside Aquatic Club 463
2. Rose Bowl Aquatics 376
3. Swim Neptune 244
4. Nitro Swimming 217.5
5. Texas Ford Aquatics 152
6. Evolution Racing Club 149
7. North Bay Aquatics 144
8. Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics 137
9. Aquajets Swim Team 133
10. Foothills Swim Team 122