2023 FUTURES — West Fargo
- July 26 to 29, 2023
- LCM (50m)
- Hulbert Aquatics Center, West Fargo, North Dakota
- Meet Central
- Livestream
- Results on Meet Mobile: “2023 Futures Championships – West Fargo”
The penultimate day of competition at the West Fargo Futures Championships saw the individual finals of 400 free, 100 fly, and 200 breast contested. The session concluded with women’s and men’s 4×100 free relay.
The 400 free saw University of Minnesota swimmer Eliot Kennedy take the win in 4:22.70. Kennedy, the winner of the 800 free on day 1, holds a lifetime best of 4:21.77 from the Gopher Invite held in May of this year. Runner up to Kennedy in the 400 was Central Iowa Aquatics’ Faith Frantum. Frantum, just 16 years old, swam to a new personal best of 4:22.97. Her previous best stood at 4:27.65, dating back to July of last year. Rounding out the podium was future Columbia Lion Mia Avansino, who touched in 4:25.98.
Taking out the men’s 400 was Alfred Robinson of Aggie Swim Club. Alfred, or AJ (some of his results appear under this nickname), won in a time of 4:01.17. The Texas-based Aggie Swim Club, like several other clubs, was relocated to the West Fargo site due to its region’s meet being at capacity. The distance, however, did not seem to affect Robinson, who dropped over eight seconds from his personal best of 4:09.46, a time that he set just over a month ago.
Also dipping under 4:02 was 2023 University of Minnesota commit Grant Wodny. The soon-to-be freshman swam a personal best by over 8 seconds as well, finishing in 4:01.65.
Patriot Aquatic Club’s Annika Parkhe carried on her good form from her victories in the 200 free into the 100 fly. Parkhe led from start to finish to nab the win in a time of 1:00.44, just a little off the 59.99 she swam to finish 25th at the 2023 Nationals. Nabbing 2nd was Jazmyn Lunn, who dropped a little over a second to touch in 1:03.16. Touching 3rd in a tough double was Mia Avansino. Avansino added a bronze in the 100 fly to her bronze in the 400 free. Her time tonight of 1:03.18 was less than a second off her PB.
Taking the win in the fastest event of the meet and continuing to rack in victories was Minnesota Golden Gopher Kaiser Neverman. Neverman, the winner of the 100 and 200 free, nabbed the win in the 100 fly with a time of 53.25. While not a personal best, his time marked the first time since the opening of the qualifying period that he managed to get under the Olympic Trials cut time of 53.59.
Finishing 2nd and 3rd to Neverman in the men’s 100 fly was Kevin Obochi, who touched in 54.05, a new personal best by over a second, and Wyatt Carlton, a Tennessee commit who finished in 54.90.
The women’s 200 breast saw one of the youngest competitors in the field take the win. Grace Koenig-Song, just 13, grabbed the win by over two seconds with a 2:33.35. The NASA Wildcat Aquatics Swimmer has a personal best of 2:31.77 from June of this year, a time that ties her at #26 in the 13-14 NAG records, one spot and one one-hundredth behind multiple Olympic medalist Katie Hoff.
Touching behind Koenig-Song to grab 2nd was Erika Ilkiu. Ilkiu representing the Patirot Aquatic Club out of Illinois, dropped nearly four seconds from her personal best to take the silver in a time of 2:35.78.
The last individual event for the men saw Adam Fusti-Molnar take the win in the 200 breast. Fusti-Molnar, a former Texas Longhorn, who reportedly left the program this past season, grabbed the win in 2:15.73. Like Robinson, Fusti-Molnar had to enter the West Fargo meet as his region’s future site (San Antonio) was full. Like Neverman, Fusti-Molnar’s time was not a personal best but represented the first time in the qualifying period he was under the OT cut.
Adding another gold to her haul was Annika Parkhe. Parkhe swam the 2nd leg (56.61) of the Patriot Aquatic Club’s 4×100 women’s relay. Joining Parkhe in collecting gold medals were Abigail Collins (1:00.09), Isabella Wilhelm (59.27), and Aria Grossenbach (57.42).
The men’s 4×100 free relay was taken by the men of Patriot Aquatic Club. Diego Rosario led off in 53.08, followed by a blazing 50.91 by Kevin Obochi. Bringing the relay home in a pair of 52s were Enzo Desviat Ruiz (52.60) and Daniel Castle (52.06). Oboci finished 2nd in the individual 100 with a time of 51.13.
