2022 Winter Juniors – East: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2022 WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

• December 7-10, 2022
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
• Start Times
  • Prelims @9:00AM ET
  • Finals at 5:00 PM ET (except for day 1 timed finals – 6:00 PM ET)
• Meet Central
• Storylines to Follow
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream

THURSDAY PRELIMS HEAT SHEET (GIRLS)

THURSDAY PRELIMS HEAT SHEET (BOYS)

The first full day of the Winter Junior Championships is here. This morning’s prelims in Greensboro will feature the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free.

After her excellent relay splits last night, Summer McIntosh will make her individual Winter Junior Championships debut this morning in the girls 500 free. Keep an eye out for her this morning, as McIntosh is in heat five of nine, seeded with her LCM personal best of 3:59.32.

The girls 200 IM should be a great race as well, with Swim Atlanta’s Katie Christopherson (1:56.72) coming in as the top seed and Carmel Swim Club’s Alex Shackell (1:57.63) as the second seed.

The boys 50 free also ought to be a thrilling event today, as four boys come into the meet already having been under 20 seconds. Greater Toledo Aquatic Club’s Scotty Buff (19.56), Lynchburg Y’s Brendan Whitfield (19.93), East Carolina Aquatics’ Lucca Battaglini (19.96), and Zionsville Swim Club’s Will Modglin (19.99) are the top four seeds this morning.

GIRLS 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• Meet Record – 4:37.10, Regan Smith (2018)
• Pool Record – 4:29.54, Katie Ledecky (2014)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 4:35.14, Katie Ledecky (2011)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 4:28.71, Katie Ledecky (2014)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 4:26.58, Katie Ledecky (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Summer McIntosh (Sarasota Sharks) – 4:34.15
2. Lynsey Bowen (Carmel Swim Club) – 4:44.36
3. Michaela Mattes (Sarasota Sharks) – 4:45.15
4. Libby Grether (Dublin Community Swim Team) – 4:46.72
5. Lilla Bognar (Team Greenville) – 4:48.52
6. Maddie Waggoner (Jersey Wahoos) – 4:48.76
7. Summer Cardwell (Tampa Bay Aquatic Club Country) – 4:49.42
8. Amanda Bernard (NOVA of Virginia) – 4:49.64

Summer McIntosh has already set herself apart from the rest of the field, roaring to a new Winter Juniors East Record of 4:34.15. Not only does she lead the field by over ten seconds heading into tonight’s final, she swam a time which would make her the #4 American all-time in the 15-16 age group and did so in prelims. The only thing left to wonder now is whether she’ll take a stab at Katie Ledecky’s GAC Pool Record of 4:29.54 tonight. She could also hypothetically dip under Ledecky’s 15-16 NAG of 4:28.71, which of course wouldn’t count as a NAG since McIntosh is Candian, however, it would make McIntosh the fastest 15-16 girl ever in the SCY 500 free.

Sarasota teammate Michaela Mattes also made it back for the ‘A’ final tonight, swimming a 4:45.15.

Carmel 15-year-old Lynsey Bowen clocked a new personal best of 4:44.36 en route to finishing second this morning. Her previous best was a 4:45.15, which she set in February of this year at the Indiana high school state meet.

Dublin Community Swim Team’s Libby Grether had a massive swim this morning, ripping a 4:46.72 for fourth place. Grether entered the meet with a lifetime best of 4:51.68, a time which she swam at Winter Juniors last December.

Team Greenville 16-year-old Lilla Bognar also had a big swim this morning, taking over two seconds off her personal best in the event. Bognar came into the meet with a lifetime best of 4:50.90, which she swam at Winter Juniors last year, and posted a 4:48.52 for fifth this morning.

BOYS 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• Meet Record – 4:12.72, Jake Magahey (2019)
• Pool Record – 4:07.97, Jake Magahey (2021)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 4:24.79, Lleyton Plattel (2017)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 4:15.36, Drew Kibler (2016)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 4:08.42, Luke Hobson (2022)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Henry McFadden (Jersey Wahoos) – 4:17.78
2. Aaron Shackell (Carmel Swim Club) – 4:20.35
3. Tristan DenBrok (SwimAtlanta) – 4:21.08
4. Norvin Clontz (SwimMAC) – 4:21.69
5. Nathan Szobota (NOVA of Virginia) – 4:22.48
6. Gregg Enoch (Carmel Swim Club) – 4:22.69
7. Andrew Taylor (Tampa Bay Aquatic Club Country) – 4:23.09
8. Jason Zhao (Mason Manta Rays) – 4:23.31

Jersey Wahoos 17-year-old Henry McFadden had a monster swim this morning, blasting a 4:17.78 to finish as the only swimmer in the field under 4:20. For McFadden, the performance marks a personal best by over five seconds, coming in well under his previous best of 4:22.92. McFadden was out fast, splitting 2:08.05 on the first 250 of the race (4:16.10 pace), and still had enough to come home in 24.68 on the last 50 this morning. That could indicate he has more to give tonight, but we’ll find out later today.

Carmel’s Aaron Shackell swam a 4:20.35 this morning, taking down his month0old personal best of 4:22.22.

15-year-old Norvin Clontz (SwimMAC) had a huge swim this morning as well. Coming in fourth, Clontz swam a 4:21.69, taking nearly seven seconds off his previous best.

GIRLS 200 IM – PRELIMS

• Meet Record – 1:53.69, Alex Walsh (2018)
• Pool Record – 1:51.36, Kate Douglass (2020)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 1:56.20, Alex Walsh (2021)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 1:54.02, Alex Walsh (2017)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 1:51.65, Ella Eastin (2016)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Alex Shackell (Carmel Swim Club) – 1:56.61
2. Sophia Umstead (Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics) – 1:58.69
3. Emily Thompson (Greater Somerset Y) – 1:58.83
4. Molly Sweeney (Carmel Swim Club) – 1:58.86
5. Lilla Bognar (Team Greenville) – 1:59.06
6. Grace Rainey (SwimMAC) – 1:59.18
7. Avery Klamfoth (SwimMAC) – 1:59.39
8. Emily Brown (Dublin Community Swim Team) – 1:59.58

Alex Shackell was in control of the girls 200 IM this morning, swimming a 1:56.61 to lead the field by two full seconds. She was incredible on the front half of the race, splitting 24.48 on fly and 29.31 on back for a 53.79 at the 100 mark. She was only 35.12 on the breast split, but she came home in a speedy 27.70.

Lilla Bognar made her second ‘A’ final of the day, swimming a 1:59.06 for fifth place. That swim comes in less than half a second off Bognar’s personal best and comes after she swam a lifetime best in prelims of the 500 earlier in the session.

BOYS 200 IM – PRELIMS

• Meet Record – 1:42.01, Baylor Nelson (2021)
• Pool Record – 1:39.28, Leon Marchand (2022)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 1:45.29, Michael Andrew (2014)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 1:42.77, Michael Andrew (2015)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 1:41.39, David Nolan (2011)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Thomas Heilman (Cavalier Aquatics) – 1:43.39
2. Daniel Diehl (Cumberland Y) – 1:43.90
3. Will Modglin (Zionsville Swim Club) – 1:44.68
4. Gibson Holmes (Mason Manta Rays) – 1:45.92
5. Carter Lancaster (Bolles School Sharks) – 1:45.95
6. Caleb Maldari (SwimMAC) – 1:46.03
7. Sean Sullivan (Carmel Swim Club) – 1:46.49
8. Will Heck (Bolles School Sharks) – 1:46.85

Thomas Heilman is off to the races in Greensboro! The 15-year-old ripped a new personal best by three seconds this morning, blasting a 1:43.39 to claim the top seed for tonight’s final. The swim also makes Heilman, who is just 15, the #4 15-16 all-time in the event. He was fueled by a blistering front half, splitting 22.37 on fly and 25.75 on back, for a 48.12 on the first 100. He also came home in a sizzling 24.74 on the final 50.

17-year-old Daniel Diehl, fresh off an incredible showing at the U.S. Open last week in this very pool, also clocked a personal best this morning, posting a 1:43.90 for second. Diehl dropped nearly three seconds from his previous best with the swim.

Will Modglin, who has a personal best of 1:44.10, swam a 1:44.68 for third this morning. That sets up what should be a fantastic race in the middle of the pool tonight between Heilman, Diehl, and Modglin tonight.

GIRLS 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• Meet Record – 21.49, Abby Weitzeil (2014)
• Pool Record – 21.09, Kate Douglass (2021)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 21.89, Claire Curzan (2019)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 21.50, Claire Curzan (2021)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 21.32, Simone Manuel (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Alex Shackell (Carmel Swim Club) – 21.87
2. Erika Pelaez (Eagle Aquatics) – 22.02
3. Annie Jia (Upper Dublin Aquatic Club) – 22.64
4. Alexa Fulton (Upper Main Line) – 22.65
5. Lillie Nesty (Gator Swim Club) – 22.67
6. Josie Connelly (Oakland Live Y’ers) – 22.76
7. Charlotte Crush (Lakeside) – 22.78
8. Lily Christianson (Irish Aquatics) – 22,79
9. Julie Mishler (Fishers Area Swimming Tigers) – 22.79

As it turns out, Alex Shackell‘s personal best in the 200 IM was just her warmup act. The 16-year-old went on to throw down a huge personal best in the 50 free, tearing to a 21.87. The swim marks a number of things: Shackell is now the #3 performer all-time in the 15-16 girls age group behind only Claire Curzan and Gretchen Walsh. It was also her first time under 22 seconds in the event.

Fellow 16-year-old Erika Pelaez clocked a new personal best as well, swimming a 22.02 for second this morning. That performance puts Pelaez at #5 all-time in the 15-16 girls age group.

There will be a swim-off between Lily Christianson and Julie Mishler to determine the eighth seed for tonight’s final.

BOYS 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• Meet Record – 18.71, Ryan Hoffer (2016)
• Pool Record – 18.33, Ryan Hoffer (2021)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 19.76, Michael Andrew (2014)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 19.24, Michael Andrew (2015)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 18.67, Caeleb Dressel (2015)

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Scotty Buff (Greater Toledo Aquatic Club) – 19.46
2. Lucca Battaglini (East Carolina Aquatics) / Brendan Whitfield (Lynchburg Y) – 19.67
3. –
4. Kaii Winkler (Eagle Aquatics) – 19.78
5. Will Modglin (Zionsville Swim Club) – 19.86
6. Roman Jones (Fanwood-Scotch Plains Y) – 19.93
7. Jerry Fox (TAC Titans) – 19.96
8. Wells Walker (Marlins of Raleigh) – 20.02

The boys’ 50 free was exceptional this morning, seeing seven swimmers clock in under 20 seconds. They were led by Scotty Buff, who posted a new personal best of 19.46. Not too far behind was Lucca Battaglini and Brendan Whitfield, who produced matching times of 19.67 to qualify second into the final. Both took off over two-tenths from their previous bests.

Three swimmers broke 20 seconds for the first time this morning. Kaii Winkler, 16, swam a 19.78, taking nearly half a second off his previous best. Roman Jones dipped under 20 with a 19.93, as did Jerry Fox, who swam 19.96