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2024 Winter Junior Championships – East: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

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2024 Winter Junior Championships – East

The third day of action at the 2024 Winter Junior Championships – East in Greensboro will be an action-packed one with five individual events on the docket for both boys’ and girls’ this morning, with the 200 free relay added to the schedule for tonight’s finals.

This morning we’ll see heats in the 400 IM, 200 free and the three stroke 100s.

Charlotte Crush and Audrey Derivaux will be two key names to watch this morning on the girls’ side of the pool, with Crush coming in as the top seed in both the 100 fly and 100 back, while Derivaux is seeded first in the 400 IM. She also held entries in the 100 fly, 200 free and 100 back, but has scratched out.

On the boys’ side, Thomas Heilman is the two-time defending champion in the 100 fly, while Baylor Stanton, Thomas Mercer and Noah Cakir are set to lock horns in the 400 IM.

The 100 breast also shapes up to be an exciting race with Josh Bey and Cakir leading a group of seven boys seeded under 54 seconds.

GIRLS’ 400 IM – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Audrey Derivaux (Jersey Wahoos), 4:08.64
  2. Chloe Kim (Scarlet Aquatics), 4:11.17
  3. Emerson Callis (Quest Swimming), 4:13.22
  4. Avery Klamfoth (SwimMAC), 4:13.53
  5. Nicole Zettel (TAC Titans), 4:15.62
  6. Addie Robillard (Mason Manta Rays), 4:16.01
  7. Sloane Whelehan (TAC Titans), 4:16.31
  8. Madeleine Simmons (All Star Aquatics), 4:16.42

Half of the ‘A’ final qualifiers in the girls’ 400 IM came out of the 10th and final heat, with rising star Audrey Derivaux leading the way.

The 15-year-old Jersey Wahoos’ product rolled to the fastest time of the morning by two and a half seconds, clocking 4:08.64 to fall just 13 one-hundredths shy of her best time set at this meet last year.

Currently ranked 3rd all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group with her best time, Derivaux’s swim this morning ranks her 29th all-time in the 15-16 age group.

Quest Swimming’s Emerson Callis (4:13.22) and SwimMAC’s Avery Klamfoth battled head-to-head for second place in Derivaux’s heat, with the 16-year-old Callis out-touching the 17-year-old Klamfoth as they advance 3rd and 4th into the final.

Topping the penultimate heat was Scarlet Aquatics’ Chloe Kim, who has been on good form thus far in Greensboro, notably winning the 500 free last night.

The 17-year-old put up a time of 4:11.17, just over a second shy of the best time she set last month (4:10.07).

One of only two ‘A’ finalists to drop time, All Star Aquatics’ Madeleine Simmons took nearly three seconds off her PB to qualify in 8th at 4:16.42.

Carmel Swim Club’s Ellie Clarke was notably disqualified after initially clocking 4:15.46, which would’ve advanced her 5th into the final.

BOYS’ 400 IM – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Baylor Stanton (Gwinnett Aquatics), 3:45.32
  2. Ryan Erisman (Laker Swim), 3:46.70
  3. Noah Cakir (Team Suffolk), 3:47.03
  4. Norvin Clontz (Mecklenburg Swim Association), 3:47.06
  5. Thomas Mercer (Lakeside Swim Team), 3:48.09
  6. Mack Schumann (Nashville Aquatic Club), 3:48.10
  7. Ian Heysen (Blue Dolfins), 3:48.70
  8. Liam Smith (Greater Kalamazoo), 3:49.52

Cal commits Baylor Stanton and Ryan Erisman claimed the top two seeds for tonight’s final in the boys’ 400 IM, with the top three qualifiers all coming out of the 15th and final heat.

Stanton, 17, clocked 3:45.32 to shave seven one-hundredths off his best time, moving him into a tie for 60th all-time in the boys’ 17-18 age group. His old PB of 3:45.39, set at this meet last year, ranks him #8 for 15-16 boys.

Erisman, 18, lowered his best time by nearly two seconds, dropping from 3:48.42 to 3:46.70 to advance in 2nd, narrowly missing cracking the top 100 all-time for 17-18s.

Team Suffolk’s Noah Cakir, an Indiana commit, was also in the heat, rolling to a lifetime best by nine one-hundredths in 3:47.03 to advance in 3rd, just ahead of Mecklenburg’s Norvin Clontz, who went 3:47.06 from one of the early heats.

Another Cal commit, Clontz dropped 3:50 for the first time, with his previous best standing at 3:50.44 from this meet in 2022.

Advancing in 8th, 16-year-old Liam Smith of Greater Kalamazoo dropped more than six seconds from his best time in 3:49.52, moving him into 44th all-time in the boys’ 15-16 age group.

GIRLS’ 100 FLY – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Charlotte Crush (Lakeside Swim Team), 50.87
  2. Annie Jia (Upper Dublin Aquatic Club), 52.13
  3. Mena Boardman (Commonwealth Swimming), 52.26
  4. Molly Sweeney (Carmel Swim Club), 52.77
  5. Elle Scott (SwimMAC), 52.97
  6. Emma Richardson (SwimMAC), 53.14
  7. Nikki Nixon (TAC Titans), 53.30
  8. Lily Archibald (Ridgefield Aquatic Club), 53.33

Lakeside Swim Team’s Charlotte Crush kicked off her session with a blistering swim in the 100 fly, clocking 50.87 to lead the girls’ field into the ‘A’ final by well over a second.

  • Crush Splits: 23.41/27.46

The 16-year-old set her lifetime best of 50.19 this past March, which ranks her #2 all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group behind NAG record holder Claire Curzan (49.51).

Upper Dublin Aquatics’ Annie Jia (52.13) and Carmel’s Molly Sweeney (52.77) went toe-to-toe in the penultimate heat, with both swimmers having set their lifetime bests at this meet last year—Jia in 51.09 and Sweeney in 52.24.

Commonwealth Swimming’s Mena Boardman topped the first circle-seeded heat in 52.26, with the Texas commit owning a PB of 51.62 set in March.

SwimMAC’s Emma Richardson took 14 one-hundredths off her best time in 53.14, ranking her 14th all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group. The 14-year-old advanced 6th into the ‘A’ final.

BOYS’ 100 FLY – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Thomas Heilman (Cavalier Aquatics), 44.55
  2. Caiden Bowers (Mercersburg Academy), 46.85
  3. Alex Townsend (Marlins of Raleigh), 47.14
  4. Andrew Shackell (Carmel Swim Club), 47.23
  5. Antoine Destang (Bolles School Sharks), 47.40
  6. Austin Carpenter (Central Ohio Aquatics), 47.52
  7. Luke Bedsole (Huntsville Swim Association), 47.58
  8. Max Buff (Greater Toledo Aquatic Club), 47.66

Thomas Heilman rocketed to a lifetime best and new National Age Group Record for 17-18 boys in the 100 fly, clocking 44.55 to knock two-tenths off Aiden Hayes‘ record of 44.75 set in 2022.

Heilman also broke his own Winter Junior Championship Meet Record of 44.67, the current 15-16 NAG record which he set two years ago.

Heilman was the only swimmer in the field to split sub-21 on the first 50, turning in 20.82, but more notably, was the only swimmer to close under 25 seconds, storming home with a blistering 23.73.

Mercersburg Academy’s Caiden Bowers broke 47 seconds for the first time in 46.85, re-lowering his school record to qualify 2nd into the final.

Marlins of Raleigh’s Alex Townsend knocked more than a second off his personal best in 47.14, advancing 3rd into the final just ahead of Carmel’s Andrew Shackell, who also set a new PB in 47.23.

GIRLS’ 200 FREE – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Sidney Arcella (Metro Area Life), 1:46.78
  2. Caroline Daher (Laker Swim), 1:47.64
  3. Mere Whelehan (TAC Titans), 1:47.78
  4. Faith Gorey (Carmel Swim Club), 1:47.84
  5. Brynn Lavigueur (Sarasota Sharks), 1:47.92
  6. Annabelle Swiney (Zionsville Swim Club), 1:48.13
  7. Annam Olasewere (Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club), 1:48.21
  8. Maeve Eckerman (Sarasota Sharks), 1:48.32

Life Time Metro’s Sidney Arcella posted the lone sub-1:47 time of the prelims in the girls’ 200 free, touching in 1:46.78 to qualify 1st into the final by nearly nine-tenths of a second.

Arcella, an 18-year-old Duke commit, owns a personal best of 1:46.46, set in March.

Qualifying 2nd and 3rd into the final were Caroline Daher (1:47.64) and Mere Whelehan (1:47.78), who both won their respective circle-seeded heats and added a bit to their lifetime bests which both sit in the 1:46 range.

Carmel Swim Club’s Faith Gorey, 15, knocked more than half a second off her PB in 1:47.84, breaking 1:48 for the first time to qualify 4th into the final. Her previous best of 1:48.40 was set in January.

Carmel’s Lynsey Bowen, the top seed coming in, placed 25th in 1:49.59. The 17-year-old owns a best time of 1:45.30 set at this meet in 2022.

BOYS’ 200 FREE – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Koby Bujak-Upton (Unattached), 1:35.46
  2. Ethan Ekk (Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club), 1:35.61
  3. Xavier Sohovich (Bolles School Sharks), 1:35.85
  4. Norvin Clontz (Mecklenburg Swim Association), 1:35.88
  5. Kenneth Barnicle (Greater Somerset County YMCA), 1:35.99
  6. Alex Thiesing (Lakeside Swim Team), 1:36.00
  7. Luke Sandberg (Dynamo Swim Club), 1:36.04
  8. Jason Zhao (Mason Manta Rays), 1:36.15

Tennessee commit Koby Bujak-Upton rocketed to a time of 1:35.46 in the heats of the boys’ 200 free, advancing 1st into the final from one of the early heats.

An Australian native, Bujak-Upton was entered with a long course time (1:49.65) and had never raced the 200 free in yards until today. The 18-year-old delivered splits of 22.17/24.05/24.71/24.58.

Area Tallahassee’s Ethan Ekk nearly reached Bujak-Upton’s time in the final heat, clocking 1:35.61 to come five one-hundredths shy of his newly-minted best time set in November.

Bolles School’s Xavier Sohovich (1:35.85), Mecklenburg’s Norvin Clontz (1:35.88) and Greater Somerset’s Kenneth Barnicle (1:35.99), all 17, also went sub-1:36, with Clontz and Barnicle both hitting personal bests.

The drop for Barnicle was significant, going from 1:37.45 (March 2024) down to 1:35.88.

GIRLS’ 100 BREAST – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Elle Scott (SwimMAC), 59.65
  2. Addie Robillard (Mason Manta Rays), 1:00.33
  3. Eliza Wallace (Mecklenburg Swim Association), 1:00.55
  4. Sophia Umstead (Michigan Lakeshore), 1:00.75
  5. Madyson Hartway (Sarasota Sharks), 1:01.24
  6. Avery Klamfoth (SwimMAC), 1:01.26
  7. Maddie Moreth (Valparaiso Swim Club), 1:01.27
  8. Molly Sweeney (Carmel Swim Club), 1:01.59

SwimMAC’s Elle Scott was the lone swimmer to break 1:00 in the prelims of the girls’ 100 breast, clocking 59.65 to make her second ‘A’ final of the session.

Scott, 17, set a new personal best of 58.94 last month. She was one of two SwimMAC swimmers to make the ‘A’ final, joined by fellow 17-year-old Avery Klamfoth (1:01.26), who made the 400 IM ‘A’ final earlier in the session.

Mason Manta Rays’ Addie Robillard, the #2 seed coming into the meet behind Scott, qualified 2nd into the final in 1:00.33, exactly one second shy of her best time set at this meet last year.

Notably setting a best time was Madyson Hartway of the Sarasota Sharks, as the 16-year-old dropped from 1:02.00 to 1:01.24 to advance 5th into the final.

BOYS’ 100 BREAST – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Ian Heysen (Blue Dolfins), 53.52
  2. Josh Bey (Highland Hurricanes), 53.59
  3. Noah Cakir (Team Suffolk), 53.66
  4. Gabe Nunziata (Old Dominion Aquatic Club), 53.72
  5. Giulian Martin (Hurricane Aquatics), 53.83
  6. Jonah Lee (Valparaiso Swim Club), 53.87
  7. Jason Zhao (Mason Manta Rays), 53.93
  8. Austin Carpenter (Central Ohio Aquatics), 53.97

Nine boys broke 54 seconds this morning in what was a blistering preliminary of the 100 breaststroke, with Ian Heysen of the Blue Dolfins leading the way.

Heysen, 17, clocked 53.52, narrowly outpacing Highland Hurrcianes’ Josh Bey (53.59) and Team Suffolk’s Noah Cakir (53.66), all three just shy of their best times.

Old Dominion Aquatic Club’s Gabe Nunziata was one of four swimmers who broke 54 seconds for the first time, as the 17-year-old clocked 53.72 to undercut his previous best of 54.02 set in March.

Also going sub-54 for the first time were Hurricane Aquatics’ Giulian Martin (53.83), Valparaiso’s Jonah Lee (53.87) and FAST’s Ian Disosway (53.98), with Disosway missing out on the ‘A’ final by one one-hundredth.

Along with Disosway, notably setting best times but missing the ‘A’ final were 15-year-olds Luke Zardavets (54.27) and Wilson York (54.51), and 16-year-old Collin Holgerson (54.44).

Disosway, 16, moves into 28th all-time in the boys’ 15-16 age group, while Zardavets, Holgerson and York move to 44th, 58th and 66th, respectively.

GIRLS’ 100 BACK – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Charlotte Crush (Lakeside Swim Team), 50.01
  2. Rylee Erisman (Laker Swim), 52.38
  3. Sarah Rodrigues (Jersey Aquatic Club), 52.70
  4. Maya Schweikert (Mason Manta Rays), 52.73
  5. Reina Liu (TAC Titans), 52.74
  6. Lila Higgo (Bolles School Sharks), 53.02
  7. Julie Mishler (FAST), 53.06
  8. Brynn Lavigueur (Sarasota Sharks), 53.11

Charlotte Crush claimed her second top seed of the morning with a dominant showing in the girls’ 100 back, posting the fastest time in the field by well over two seconds in 50.01.

The swim for Crush comes after she broke her meet record and the girls’ 15-16 NAG record last night leading off Lakeside’s 400 medley relay, clocking 49.46. She came into the meet with a personal best time of 49.53, set at this meet last year.

The 16-year-old split 24.14/25.87 this morning compared to her 24.31/25.15 from last night.

Laker Swim’s Rylee Erisman broke 53 seconds for the first time to advance 2nd into the final, clocking 52.38 to improve on her previous best of 53.03 set in March. She led off the Laker 400 medley relay on Thursday in 53.12.

Also cracking 53 seconds this morning were 18-year-old Sarah Rodrigues (52.70), 16-year-old Maya Schweikert (52.73) and 14-year-old Reina Liu (52.74), with Schweikert the only one of the three hitting a best time, having previously been 53.62.

Schweikert now ranks 54th all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group, while Liu’s best time of 52.65 ranks her 6th all-time for 13-14s.

BOYS’ 100 BACK – PRELIMS

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

  1. Baylor Stanton (Gwinnett Aquatics), 47.15
  2. Andrew Chou (Tennessee Aquatics), 47.30
  3. Jack Troy (South Carolina Swim Club) / Zach Oswald (Suburban Seahawks), 47.37
  4. –
  5. Ethan Guo (Greenwood Swimming), 47.43
  6. Andy Roose (Williamsburg Aquatic Club), 47.44
  7. Thomas Mercer (Lakeside Swim Team), 47.45
  8. Luke Bedsole (Huntsville Swim Association), 47.47

The men’s 100 back field was bunched up this morning with 14 swimmers hitting 47-something in the heats, leading the top eight to be separated by just over three-tenths.

After claiming the top seed at the beginning of the session in the 400 IM, Baylor Stanton did just enough to claim the top seed in 47.15, doing so from the 15th and final heat where he ended up being the only to advance to the ‘A’ final.

Tennessee Aquatics’ Andrew Chou dropped more than a second and a half to qualify 2nd for the final from one of the early heats, as the 18-year-old touched in 47.30 after setting his previous best of 48.98 last month.

Suburban Seahawks’ Zach Oswald and South Carolina Swim Club’s Jack Troy, both 18, produced matching 47.37s to rank 3rd this morning, with Troy breaking 48 for the first time.

Fellow 18-year-olds Ethan Guo (47.43) and Andy Roose (47.44) also cracked 48 for the first time to make the ‘A’ final, while Thomas Mercer chipped a few tenths off his PB to advance in 7th (47.45).

Luke Bedsole, one of two 17-year-olds to make the ‘A’ final (along with Stanton), dropped his PB down from 47.72 to 47.47 to qualify in 8th.

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Aragon Son of Arathorne
1 month ago

Why didnt Heilman swim at worlds?

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PFA
1 month ago

Yeah sub 44 is in the cards tonight

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bob
1 month ago

tom the bomb heilman. Obscene!

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Tree Man
1 month ago

That brotha Thomas Heilman ain’t playing around today

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Long Strokes
Reply to  Tree Man
1 month ago

I think he got a wake up call yesterday when he almost missed the A final in the 200IM. He’s going all out on every swim from now on!

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About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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