2024 Winter Junior Championships – West
- December 11-15, 2024
- Austin, Texas
- Prelims: 9:00 am (CT) / Finals: 5:00 pm (CT)
- SCY (25 yards)
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- Day 1 Finals
After kicking off last night with a couple of relays, the first full day of competition at the 2024 winter Juniors Championships – West is here. There are three events on the lineup this morning, and men and women will race at the same time in two different pools. It promises to be an exciting day, with several big names to look out for in the pool.
After setting multiple National Age Group records for 17-18 boys at last year’s championship, Maximus Williamson is definitely one to keep an eye on. He is the top seed in both the 200 IM and 50 free this morning.
Kayla Han headlines the girls’ 500 free and has been in good form this season, setting several best times at the Kevin Perry Senior Invitational in November. Another top competitor in the 500 is Madi Mintenko, who is coming off a great summer season at the Junior Pan Pacs.
A few other notable names in the lineup this morning include Teagan O’Dell in the girls’ 200 IM and Rowan Cox and Max Goettsch in the boys’ 50 free.
Girls’ 500 Freestyle
- West Record: 4:28.64 – Bella Sims (2022)
- Meet Record: 4:27.52 – Summer McIntosh (2022)
- 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:
- Kayla Han (La Mirada Armada) – 4:39.99
- Ella Cosgrove (Flying Fish Arizona) – 4:41.05
- Madi Mintenko (Pikes Peak Athletics) – 4:42.28
- Montse Spielman (Alamo Area Aquatic) – 4:44.99
- Paige Downey (Gold Medal Swim Club) – 4:46.44
- Savannah Skow (Las Cruces Aquatic Team) – 4:48.44
- Alyssa Ton (Irvine Novaquatics) – 4:49.50
- Avery Dillon (Katy Aquatic Team) – 4:50.51
Kayla Han cruised into the top qualifying spot in the 500 this morning, posting a time of 4:39.99 to put herself in a dominant position for finals. Less than two seconds off her best time, which she set at this same meet last year, Han looks to be in a good place to turn in a top performance tonight.
Close behind Han was Ella Cosgrove, who turned in a personal best time of 4:41.05. She shaved .79 off of her previous lifetime best and will be looking to chase down Han tonight.
Montse Spielmann threw down a monster best time in her race, turning in 4:44.99 to knock almost four full seconds off of her time and snag the 4th spot heading into finals. Spielmann appears to be in top form this season, as she had just set her previous lifetime best in the 500 at the start of November.
In a similar fashion, Savannah Skow dropped almost four seconds from her previous time to post a new lifetime best of 4:48.44, jumping up to the #6 spot heading into finals.
The youngest in the field to qualify for the ‘A’ final, 15-year-old Alyssa Ton secured her spot in the top eight with a time of 4:49.50, a few seconds off of the lifetime best that she set in early November.
Rounding out the top eight qualifiers, Avery Dillon turned in a personal best of 4:50.51, shaving over two seconds off of her previous time.
Boys’ 500 Freestyle
- West Record: 4:12.33 – Rex Maurer (2022)
- Meet Record: 4:12.33 – Rex Maurer (2022)
- 13-14 NAG Record: 4:14.83 – Luka Mijatovic (2024)
- 15-16 NAG Record: 4:12.34 – Luka Mijatovic (2024)
- 17-18 NAG Record: 4:08.42 – Luke Hobson (2022)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
Girls’ 200 IM
- West Record: 1:52.73 – Bella Sims (2022)
- Meet Record: 1:52.71 – Katie Grimes (2022)
- 13-14 NAG Record: 1:55.73 – Audrey Derivaux (2024)
- 15-16 NAG Record: 1:53.38 – Teagan O’Dell (2023)
- 17-18 NAG Record: 1:51.36 – Kate Douglass (2020)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
Boys’ 200 IM
- West Record: 1:41.18 – Maximus Williamson (2023)
- Meet Record: 1:41.18 – Maximus Williamson (2023)
- 13-14 NAG Record: 1:45.29 – Michael Andrew (2014)
- 15-16 NAG Record: 1:41.41 – Thomas Heilman (2023)
- 17-18 NAG Record: 1:40.81 – Maximus Williamson (2024)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
Girls’ 50 Freestyle
- West Record: 21.49 – Abby Weitzeil (2014)
- Meet Record: 21.49 – Abby Weitzeil (2014)
- 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:
Boys’ 50 Freestyle
- West Record: 18.71 – Ryan Hoffer (2016)
- Meet Record: 18.71 – Ryan Hoffer (2016)
- 13-14 NAG Record: 19.76 – Michael Andrew (2014)
- 15-16 NAG Record: 19.24 – Michael Andrew (2015) & Thomas Heilman (2023)
- 17-18 NAG Record: 18.67 – Caeleb Dressel (2015)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
