2024 Junior Pan Pacs: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2024 JUNIOR PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 21-24, 2024
• Canberra, Australia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• All Days Prelims Heat Sheet
• Prelims Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2
• Finals Recaps: Day 1 

Welcome to the day 2 finals session of the 2024 Junior Pan Pacs in Canberra, Australia. After tonight’s session concludes, we’ll be at the halfway point of the meet. Here’s a look at what’s on the schedule for tonight.

DAY 2 FINALS SCHEDULE

• Girls 100 Freestyle – Finals
• Boys 100 Freestyle – Finals
• Girls 100 Breaststroke – Finals
• Boys 100 Breaststroke – Finals
• Girls 400 IM – Finals
• Boys 400 IM – Finals
• Girls 4×200 Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals
• Boys 4×200 Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals

The evening will kick off with what looks to be a fantastic race in the girls 100 free between Australian 18-year-old Milla Jansen and American15-year-old Rylee Erisman. Coming into the meet seeded just 0.09 seconds apart, Jansen clocked the top time in this morning’s prelims with a 54.19, while Erisman was right behind in 54.29. They were the only swimmers in the field to go under 55 seconds this morning, so this race tonight looks like it will likely be between the two.

South Korea’s Kim Youngbeom had a phenomenal swim in prelims of the boys 100 free this morning, clocking a huge new career best of 48.65. He led the field by over a second, setting himself up very well for tonight.

Australian 15-year-old Sienna Toohey is another swimmer to keep a close eye on tonight. The youngster led prelims of the girls 100 breast this morning by over a second as well. She went 1:07.68, a personal best by a few hundredths of a second. That swim puts her in a league of her own within this field. If someone is going to challenge Toohey tonight, they’ll have to match her front half speed, which is much harder said than done.

GIRLS 100 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 52.70– Penny Oleksiak, CAN (2016)
• Meet Record: 54.13 – Erin Gemmell, USA (2022)
• All Comers Record: 52.06 – Cate Campbell, AUS (2016)

RESULTS:

1. Rylee Erisman (USA) – 53.76 (Meet Record)
2. Milla Jansen (Australia) – 54.18
3. Hannah Casey (Australia) – 54.74
4. Erika Pelaez (USA) – 55.24
5. Zoe Pedersen (New Zealand) – 55.47
6. Delia Lloyd (Canada) – 55.98
7. Jenna Walters (Canada) – 56.11
8. Haruka Yoshinaga (Japan) – 56.23

Tonight’s session kicked off with a bang, seeing American 15-year-old Rylee Erisman put on a show in the girls 100 free. After swimming a 54.29 in prelims this morning, Erisman posted a huge career best of 53.76, blowing away the Junior Pan Pacs meet record of 54.13, which fellow American Erin Gemmell set back in 2022. Erisman was out in 25.95, flipping in the lead, then came home in 27.81.

With the performance, Erisman is now the 3rd-fastest American 15-16 girl in the event in history. She’s also the fastest American 15-year-old of all-time in the event.

Australian 18-year-old Milla Jansen bettered her prelims performance by 0.01 seconds, swimming a 54.18 for 2nd. Jansen was out well behind Erisman, splitting 26.55 on the opening 50, but came home faster than Erisman, splitting 27.63 on the back half. She was just off her career best of 54.13.

The other Australian in the ‘A’ final, Hannah Casey, put up a very strong performance to win the bronze medal. Casey clocked a 54.74, beating out her 55.06 from prelims. She entered the meet with a time of 55.77, but ultimately just missed her best time of 54.30 that was done in April 2022 – almost two-and-a-half years ago.

After tying with Casey in prelims this morning, American Erika Pelaez found herself just off the podium tonight, taking 4th in a time of 55.24.

BOYS 100 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 46.86– David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• Meet Record: 48.23 – Flynn Southam, AUS (2022)
• All Comers Record: 47.07 – Cameron McEvoy, AUS (2016)

RESULTS:

1. Kim Youngbeom (South Korea) – 48.66
2. Laon Kim (Canada)/Marcus Da Silva (Australia) – 49.37 (TIE)
3. –
4. Jason Zhao (USA) – 49.97
5. Quin Seider (USA) – 50.04
6. Kazusa Kuroda (Japan) – 50.05
7. Aiden Norman (Canada)/Thomas Booth (Australia) – 50.36 (TIE)
8. –

Though he was 0.01 seconds slower than he was in prelims this morning, South Korea’s Kim Youngbeom was still dominant in the boys 100 free final tonight, winning in a time of 48.66. It was clear at the turn that Kim was in control of the race. He was out in 23.19, the fastest split in the field by over half a second. Additionally, his 2nd 50 split of 25.47 was also the fastest in the field.

Australian Marcus Da Silva and Canadian Laon Kim tied for the silver medal, each swimming a 49.37. Not only did they tie with the final time, but they swam virtually identical races. Kim was out a hair faster, splitting 23.74 on the opening 50 to Da Silva’s 23.80. Da Silva was then back in 25.57 to Kim’s 25.63. Both performances were about half a second faster than they swam in prelims this morning.

The US found themselves with a swimmer sitting just off the podium for the 2nd race in a row, as Jason Zhao touched 4th with a 49.97 tonight.

GIRLS 100 BREASTSTROKE– FINALS

• World Junior Record: 1:04.35– Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013)
• Meet Record: 1:07.55– Emily Weiss, USA (2018)
• All Comers Record: 1:05.09– Leisel Jones,  AUS (2006)

RESULTS:

1. Kotomi Kato (Japan) – 1:07.45 (Meet Record)
2. Sienna Toohey (Australia) – 1:08.34
3. Elle Scott (USA) – 1:08.59
4. Mana Ishikawa (Japan) – 1:08.69
5. Hayley Mackinder (Australia) – 1:08.98
6. Addie Robillard (USA) – 1:09.09
7. Halle West (Canada) – 1:10.13
8. Jung Dawoon (South Korea) – 1:11.19

In a bit of an upset, Japan’s Kotomi Kato had a phenomenal performance tonight, winning the girls 100 breast of Australia’s Sienna Toohey, who dominated prelims. Kato dipped under 1:08 for the first time in her career, and that’s putting it mildly, as she sped into the finish in 1:07.45. Kato was out close to Toohey on the first 50, splitting 31.72, but she still managed to come home in 35.73, which allowed her to surge past Toohey in the final 15 meters of the race. With the swim, Kato broke the Junior Pan Pacs meet record of 1:07.55, which Emily Weiss set back in 2018.

Toohey was out fast once again, splitting 31.36 on the opening 50, then came home in 36.98, a bit slower than this morning. Her time of 1:08.34 put her in 2nd.

American Elle Scott picked up the bronze medal with a 1:08.59, bettering her 1:08.83 from prelims. That performance marks a new career best for Scott.

BOYS 100 BREASTSTROKE– FINALS

• World Junior Record: 59.01– Nicolo Marthinenghi, ITA (2017)
• Meet Record: 59.85– Akihiro Yamaguchi, JPN (2012)
• All Comers Record: 58.84– Adam Peaty, GBR (2018)

RESULTS:

1. Shin Ohashi (Japan) – 1:01.08
2. Campbell McKean (USA) – 1:01.13
3. Oliver Dawson (Canada) – 1:01.27
4. Nicholas Stoupas (Australia) – 1:02.33
5. Naoto Takai (Japan) – 1:02.47
6. Josh Bey (USA) – 1:02.55
7. Jacob Nimmo (Australia) – 1:02.69
8. Kiet Kong (Canada) – 1:03.07

In an extremely tight finish, Japan’s Shin Ohashi got his hands on the wall 1st in the boys 100 breast tonight. Ohashi, American Campbell McKean, and Canadian Oliver Dawson were locked in a very tight battle for gold. McKean was out the fastest of anyone in the field tonight, splitting 28.55 on the opening 50. Ohashi wasn’t far behind, splitting 28.87, while Dawson was 28.88. Ohashi had that final burst of speed at the end of the race, however, and managed to reach his hands into the wall just ahead of his competition. He finished in 1:01.08, with McKean just behind in 1:01.13, and Dawson in 3rd with a 1:01.27.

Ohashi was just off his career best performance of 1:00.95 from prelims, while Dawson tied his time from prelims, which was itself a career best. McKean was just off his top mark, which is 1:01.00.

Australia’s Nicholas Stoupas had a huge swim for 4th tonight, clocking a 1:02.33. Stoupas was 9th this morning in prelims, but made it into the ‘A’ final thanks to the rule of only 2 swimmers per country. He made the most of that opportunity, putting up a career best. Stoupas entered the meet with a personal record of 1:03.60, then clocked a 1:02.91 in prelims this morning. With his 1:02.33 tonight, Stoupas took more than a second off his career best today.

GIRLS 400 IM– FINALS

• World Junior Record: 4:24.38– Summer McIntosh, CAN (2023)
• Meet Record: 4:36.79– Mio Narita, JPN (2022)
• All Comers Record: 4:31.46 – Stephanie Rice, AUS (2008)

RESULTS:

1. Lilla Bognar (USA) – 4:40.06
2. Misuzu Nagaoka (Japan) – 4:41.57
3. Shuna Sasaki (Japan) – 4:43.66
4. Audrey Derivaux (USA) – 4:48.40
5. Kamila Blanchard (Canada) – 4:48.57
6. Julia Remington (Australia) – 4:50.27
7. Amelie Smith (Australia) – 4:53.83
8. Clare Watson (Canada) – 4:58.25

This was a close race from the start. Japan’s Shuna Sasaki got out to an early lead, splitting 1:02.57 on the fly leg, which put her just ahead of American Audrey Derivaux, the 200 fly champion from last night, who split 1:02.67. Derivaux would move into the lead on backstroke, flipping first at the 200m mark in 2:14.19.

American Lilla Bognar split a field-leading 1:10.56 on backstroke, which put her into the 200m turn in 2nd, right behind Derivaux. Bognar would move into the lead during breaststroke, and expanded that lead on freestyle, racing in for a clear victory. Bognar’s winning time of 4:40.06 was a bit off her career best of 4:37.86, but still got the job done.

Sasaki was right there until the freestyle leg. She turned at the 300m mark just 0.15 seconds behind Bognar, but her freestyle wasn’t up to par with Bognar and fellow Japanese swimmer Misuzu Nagaoka, and Sasaki ended up finishing 3rd.

Nagaoka used the back half of the race to her advantage. Flipping in 4th at the 200m mark, Nagaoka moved into 3rd on the breaststroke leg, then closed the race fast enough to move into 2nd, past teammate Nagaoka. She would finish 2nd in a time of 4:41.57.

As for Derivaux, she completely fell out of the race on breaststroke, hitting the 300m turn in 4th by nearly 5 seconds. She would end up finishing 4th in 4:48.40.

BOYS 400 IM– FINALS

• World Junior Record: 4:10.02– Ilya Borodin, RUS (2021)
• Meet Record: 4:12.59 – Chase Kalisz, USA (2012)
• All Comers Record: 4:06.22– Michael Phelps, USA (2007)

RESULTS:

1. Asaki Nishikawa (Japan) – 4:16.64
2. Luke Ellis (USA) – 4:16.84
3. Gregg Enoch (USA) – 4:20.46
4. Samuel Higgs (Australia) – 4:23.17
5. Kazushi Imafuku (Japan) – 4:24.99
6. Lee Inseo (South Korea) – 4:35.59
7. Harrison Smith (Canada) – DQ
8. Joshua Kerr (Australia) – DQ

After initially being disqualified in prelims this morning, Japan’s protest of the DQ was upheld and Japan’s Asaki Nishikawa was reinstated. He made the most out of the opportunity to race again tonight, speed to victory in a finish for the ages. American Gregg Enoch was sitting in the lead going into the breaststroke leg of the race, but Nishikawa was nothing short of dominant on breast, splitting a stunning 1:11.90, which moved him into the lead with 100m to go. Nishikawa then had the difficult task of holding off 800 free champion and meet record holder, American Luke Ellis, on the freestyle leg of the race. Though Ellis was absolutely flying on the final 100 of the race, Nishikawa managed to hold and get his hand on the wall 0.2 seconds ahead of him, winning gold.

Nishikawa was home with some great speed, splitting 58.88, but Ellis came roaring home in an astonishing 56.76, however, it wasn’t quite enough. For Nishikawa, the time of 4:16.64 comes in well off his career best of 4:11.94, while Ellis’ performance of 4:16.84 took more than 3 seconds off his personal best of 4:19.94.

After leading the race through the first 250 meters, Enoch ran out of steam towards the end, coming home in 1:01.83. Still, his efforts were enough for him to finish 3rd, earning his first medal of the meet.

GIRLS 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 7:51.47 – Canada (2017)
• Meet Record: 7:54.70 – USA (2022)
• All Comers Record: 7:46.40 – USA (2014)

RESULTS:

1. USA ‘A’ (Dobson, Erisman, O’Dell, Mintenko) – 7:53.56 (Meet Record)
2. Canada ‘A’ (Strojnowska, Cosgrove, West, Walters) – 8:02.77
3. Australia ‘A’ (Jansen, Casey, Weber, Miller) – 8:02.99
4. Japan ‘A’ (Nagaoka, Yoshinaga, Okuzono, Yamamoto) – 8:13.43
5. South Korea ‘A’ (Won, Gyubin, Bonin, Doyeon) – 8:21.97
6. Singapore ‘A’ (Mak, Tan, Ong, Ona) – 8:41.04
7. USA ‘B’ (Han, Bognar, Crush, Pelaez) – 8:07.49
8. Canada ‘B’ (Greber, West, Tigert, Liu) – 8:11.75
9. Singapore ‘B’ (Lim, Chua, Goh, Low) – 8:54.44

Kennedi Dobson got the USA out to a fantastic start, pulling away from a great field of lead-offs and swimming a new career best of 1:57.79. She put the American team in great position as 100 free champion and new meet record holder Rylee Erisman then dove in. With clear water, Erisman quickly pushed the issue, expanding the lead through the front half of her leg. She would hold strong through the back half, splitting 1:59.10 to give Teagan O’Dell the lead as she dove in. Like Dobson and Erisman before her, O’Dell did not shy away from the front half of the race, growing the lead by a lot. O’Dell would split 1:58.19, making it all but a done deal that the USA would be winning this relay. Madi Mintenko dove in for the anchor for the Americans and got the job done. She split 1:58.48, putting the Americans into the finish in 7:53.56, breaking the meet record by over a second.

Canada and Australia were locked in a battle for silver from start to finish. Julia Strojnowska set the tone for the Canadians, leading off in 1:59.21, then Ella Cosgrove (2:00.42), Mia West (2:01.55), and Jenna Walters (2:01.59) carried the torch from there. Walters would get her hand on the wall just 0.22 seconds ahead of Australia’s Inez Miller, earning the silver for Canada.

For her part, Miller was really the only bright spot on Australia’s relay. She anchored in 1:58.05, the 2nd-fastest split in the field tonight behind Dobson.  Milla Jansen, who earned bronze in the individual 200 free last night, led the Aussie team off in 2:01.23, 3 seconds slower than her individual race. Hannah Casey then clocked a 2:01.65 on the 2nd leg, and Amelia Weber was 2:02.06 on the 3rd leg.

BOYS 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 7:08.37 – USA (2019)
• Meet Record: 7:13.07 – Australia (2022)
• All Comers Record: 7:03.24 – USA (2007)

RESULTS:

1. USA ‘A’ (Mijatovic, Clontz, Enoch, Zhao) – 7:15.82
2. Australia ‘A’ (Cross, Collins, Fackerell, Da Silva) – 7:17.66
3. Canada ‘A’ (Ekk, Kim, Miao, Norman) – 7:17.73
4. Japan ‘A’ (Kuroda, Abe, Tsujimori, Nishikawa) – 7:24.43
5. Singapore ‘A’ (Yap, Leong, Cheng, Pang) – 7:44.28
6. South Korea ‘A’ (Won, Kim, Park, Lee) – 7:45.96
7. USA ‘B’ (Hammer, Robinson, Shackell, Ellis) – 7:27.47
8. Canada ‘B’ (Brennan, Florez, Winterborn, Kirk) – 7:28.92
9. Singapore ‘B’ (Tan, Chin. Koh, Ang) – 8:10.71

200 free gold medalist Luka Mijatovich got the American team out to a great start, splitting 1:48.66. It was a slim lead, however, as Canada’s Ethan Ekk got his team out to a 1:48.68 on the opening leg. From there, the race between the US and Canada was on. After Canada’s Laon Kim pulled into the lead early on the 2nd leg, American Norvin Clontz closed and managed to give the Americans the lead once again as the 3rd legs dove in. Clontz split 1:49.37, while Kim was 1:49.63. Gregg Enoch, the bronze medalist in the 400 IM earlier in the night, came through in a big way for the US on the 3rd leg, throwing down a 1:48.68 split. Canada’s Alexander Miao was 1:50.14 on the 3rd leg, which put the Americans firmly in the lead heading into the anchors. Jason Zhao anchored the US in 1:49.11, putting the Americans into the finish in 7:15.82 for gold.

Canada ended up in a battle for silver with Australia, who had steadily inched back into the race on the back half. 100 back champion Aiden Norman anchored for Canada, splitting 1:49.28, but it wasn’t enough, as Australia’s Marcus Da Silva put up a field-leading 1:47.74 on their anchor, and he overtook Norman at the finish. Australia ended up finishing in 7:17.66, just 0.07 seconds ahead of Canada. Tex Cross (1:49.55), Xavier Collins (1:50.17), and Lucas Fackerell (1:50.20) made up Australia’s first 3 legs.

With the win, the Americans are now 3-for-3 on relay wins here in Canberra.