2024 Winter Juniors- West: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2024 Winter Junior Championships – West

• December 11-15, 2024
• Austin, Texas
• Prelims: 9:00 am (CT) / Finals: 5:00 pm (CT)
• SCY (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• How to Watch
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Finals Recap: Day 1 | Day 2
• Prelims Recap: Day 2| Day 3

Day 3 Finals Heat Sheet

Welcome to the Day 3 finals session of the West Winter Juniors meet here in Austin, Texas. Tonight’s session will include the finals for the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, and ending with the 4×50 freestyle relay.

Highlighting the night are three double event top seeds. On the girl’s side, Madi Mintenko leads the way in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle finals after winning the 500 last night. She has some tight competition for the wins in both of them, including 400 IM top seed Kayla Han.

On the boy’s side, Campbell McKean is the top seed in the 400 IM and the 100 breaststroke, coming off an event win in the 200 IM at last night’s finals. We also have NAG record holder Maximus Williamson leading the way in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke, trying to set his first record of the meet.

The last event of the session will be the 4×50 freestyle relays for both men and women.

GIRLS’ 400 IM – Finals

• West Record: 3:57.02, Katie Grimes – 2022
• Meet Record: 3:57.02, Katie Grimes – 2022
• 13-14 NAG Record: 4:06.95, Kayla Han – 2022
• 15-16 NAG Record: 3:57.02, Katie Grimes – 2022
• 17-18 NAG Record: 3:56.59, Bella Sims – 2022

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Kayla Han (RMDA)- 4:04.44
2. Sydney Schoeck (CSP)- 4:09.17
3. Grace Rabb (TXLA)- 4:11.55
4. Alexa McDevitt (BC)- 4:14.38
5. Avery Collins (LAC)- 4:14.54
6. Kaitlyn Nguyen (NOVA)- 4:14.66
7. Taylor Johannsen (TOPS)- 4:15.92
8. Amber Janky (FAST)- 4:16.61

Kayla Han won the girl’s 400 IM by a decisive five seconds. Her 4:04.44 was a new best time, dropping from the 4:05.51 she went in November of this year. It also moves her up to 6th in the all-time 15-16 rankings. Just like this morning, Han split her fly and her free very similarly, only separated by six-one-hundredths.

• Han’s Splits- 55.99/1:01.28/1:11.12/56.05

Sydney Schoeck took 2nd in a huge best time, dropping another two-and-a-half seconds from her 3 second drop in prelims to go 4:09.17. Her lifetime best coming into the meet was 4:15.89, which she went in October. She was battling with Han for the lead throughout the first 200, splitting 55.87/1:01.16 on the fly and back, but she was not able to match Han’s back end speed, splitting 1:14.22 on the breast and 57.92 on the fly.

3rd place Grace Rabb also went a new best time, despite adding in the prelims. Her final time of 4:11.55 bested her the 4:13.23 mark she set just a few weeks ago.

7th place finisher Taylor Johannsen dropped almost 8 seconds over the course of the day, coming into the met at 4:23.24 from last December, and finishing the evening at 4:15.92.

BOYS’ 400 IM – Finals

• West Record: 3:39.83, Maximus Williamson – 2022
• Meet Record: 3:38.65, Carson Foster – 2019
• 13-14 NAG Record: 3:47.91, Luka Mijatovic – 2024
• 15-16 NAG Record: 3:39.83, Maximus Williamson – 2022
• 17-18 NAG Record: 3:35.27, Carson Foster – 2020

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Luke Ellis (SAND)- 3:42.94
2. Tyler Bardak (FOX)- 3:45.47
3. Jake McCoy (COUG)- 3:47.43
4. Connor Jones (Katy)- 3:49.97
5. Abe Astle (OA)- 3:50.05
6. Jiaru Xue (AQJT)- 3:50.35
7. AJ Robinson (AGS)- 3:50.44
8. Reid Magner (DSA)- 3:50.89

Luke Ellis wins the boy’s 400 IM by two-and-a-half seconds, going 3:42.94. Ellis split faster across the board than he did this morning, to drop 4.39 seconds from his prelims swim. He also went a new best time by just over 2 seconds, surpassing the 3:45.21 he went last December. His freestyle leg was faster than his fly leg by a second-and-a-half, helping him stay in the lead over Bardak who was around half-a-second back after the 300 mark

• Ellis’ Splits: 51.74/55.16/1:05.88/50.16

Tyler Bardak was took 2nd, by a little under two seconds, also going a new personal best time. Bardak came into the meet with a personal best of 3:51.92 from November 2023, and finished the night at 3:45.47, over six seconds faster.

3rd went to Jake McCoy in 3:47.43, which was just three-one-hundredths faster than his prelims swim, but still two seconds faster than he came into the meet.

GIRLS’ 100 FLY – Finals

• West Record: 51.58, Annika Parkhe – 2023
• Meet Record: 49.49, Alex Shackell – 2023
• 13-14 NAG Record: 50.64, Claire Curzan – 2019
• 15-16 NAG Record: 49.51, Claire Curzan – 2021
• 17-18 NAG Record: 49.24, Claire Curzan – 2022

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Alana Berlin (SSTY)- 51.46
2. Madi Mintenko (PPA)- 51.50
3. Gabi Brito (CITI)- 51.89
4. Kelsey Zhang (PASA)- 52.14
5. Jada Duncan (SMST)- 5233
6. Ella Jablonski (SMAC)- 52.95
7. Emma Bronson (BEND)- 53.05
8. Emma Belk (SPA)- 53.54

Alana Berlin, a Stanford commit, won from the girl’s 100 fly final in 51.46, just four one-hundredths ahead of Madi Mintenko in 2nd. This was almost a full second drop for Berlin, who came in with a best time of 52.53 from April.

Mintenko came in as the top seed after dropping 7 tenths in prelims, and she dropped another .12 tonight, but she was not able to beat Berlin. Her final time of 51.46 marked an almost second drop for her as well from the 52.31 she set in November.

Gabi Brito also saw a time drop, going 51.89 for 3rd, dropping from her 52.24 from November, marking the first time all three girls have been under 52.

Emma Bronson, who was 7th, saw the biggest drop of the day in the A final, however, coming into the meet at 55.00 also from November, and finishing in 53.05, almost two full seconds faster.

BOYS’ 100 FLY – Finals

• West Record: 45.46, Ryan Hoffer, – 2015
• Meet Record: 44.55, Thomas Heilman – 2024
• 13-14 NAG Record: 45.81, Thomas Heilman – 2021
• 15-16 NAG Record: 44.67, Thomas Heilman – 2022
• 17-18 NAG Record: 44.55, Thomas Heilman– 2024

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Rowan Cox (TXLA)- 45.74
2. Alejandro Michelena (UN)- 46.42
3. Shareef Elaydi (SCSC)- 46.78
4. Riccardo Osio (LAC)- 47.13
5. Yofang Yu (NWAA)- 47.26
6. Henry Guo (HSC)- 47.47
7. Ethan Reniewicki (SAC)- 47.48
8. Liam Mulroy (MVN)- 47.96

Rowan Cox took the gold in the boy’s 400 IM at 45.74 to win the event by .68 seconds. Cox came into the meet at the 47.51 mark that he set in March, and dropped almost two seconds over the course of the day to go 45.74 for the win. Cox is only a junior, but is comitted to Texas for the Fall of 2026.

Alejandro Michelena, an A&M commit, took 2nd in 46.42, which was over a half second faster than his previous best of 47.99 from March.

15-year-old Shareef Elaydi won the bronze in 46.78, which was a little over a half second faster than his previous best time of 47.32 from November. This time ranks him 13th in the all-time 15-16 rankings.

GIRLS’ 200 FREE – Finals

• West Record: 1:40.78, Bella Sims –  2022
• Meet Record: 1:40.63, Summer McIntosh – 2022
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:44.55, Missy Franklin – 2010
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:42.03, Katie Ledecky – 2013
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:40.31, Missy Franklin – 2014

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Teagan O’Doll (MVN)- 1:42.46
2. Madi Mintenko (PPA)-1:43.52
3. Ella Cosgrove (FAST)- 1:45.39
4. Liberty Clark (CROW)- 1:45.76
5. Alyssa Ton (NOVA)- 1:46.01
6. Kayla Han (RMDA)- 1:46.45
7. Heather White (BC)- 1:47.78
8. Alexa McDevitt (BC)- 1:51.01

It was lonely at the top for the top two swimmers, and even lonlier for the champion. Teagan O’Dell won her first event of the session by over a second, going 1:42.46 in the girl’s 200 free. This was almost a second faster than O’Dell’s previous best time of 1:43.26 from April. O’Dell was out fast at 49.45, and just held on through the rest of the race, coming home in 53.01 with a final 50 of 26.87 to win the event.

Madi Mintenko took 2nd in 1:43.52, which was almost two seconds ahead of the 3rd place finisher. This time was about four tenths over the 1:43.15 mark that Mintenko set in February of last year, but it was her second final back-to-back final of the evening. She was also out fast, though not quite as fast as O’Dell in 50.49. Her last 100 was just two one-hundredths slower coming in at 53.03 and her final 50 was 26.40.

3rd place went to Ella Cosgrove in 1:45.39 which was about seven tenths faster than her best of 1:46.03 before the meet.

15-year-old Lily Andruss won the B final in 1:47.30, which was almost a second drop from her previous best of 1:48.16. She was the 2nd 15-year-old in the event, after 5th place finisher Alyssa Ton‘s 1:46.01.

BOYS’ 200 FREE –Finals

• West Record: 1:31.37, Maximus Williamson – 2023
• Meet Record: 1:31.37, Maximus Williamson – 2023
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:34.68, Thomas Heilman – 2021
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:32.46, Thomas Heilman – 2023
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:31.37, Maximus Williamson – 2023

Top 8 Finisher:

1. Maximus Williamson (LAC)- 1:32.24
2. Maxwell Stanislaus (LAC)- 1:34.97
3. Derek Hitchens (NOVA)- 1:35.78
4. John Simmons (BTA)- 1:36.14
5. Andrew Maksymowski (NOVA)/Ethan Reniewicki (SAC)- 1:36.58
6. —
7. Henry Webb (AQJT)- 1:36.68
8. Luke Vatev (HOSC)- DQ

The boy’s 200 freestyle went to Maximus Williamson in 1:32.24. This was just under a second off his best of 1:31.37 from this meet last year, but was almost three seconds faster than his prelims swim of 1:35.04. Williamson was out in 44.60, and came home in 47.64 to win the event by almost three seconds.

Maxwell Stanislaus won the silver in 1:34.97, which was a little over a two second drop for him. Stanislaus came into the meet with a best time of 1:37.22 from February.

Derek Hitchens took 3rd in 1:35.78, coming in three tenths faster than his best time of 1:36.08 from May.

4th seed 15-year-old Luke Vatev was disqualified for not breaking the surface before the 15-meter mark

GIRLS’ 100 BREAST – Finals

• West Record: 57.76, Lydia Jacoby – 2022
• Meet Record: 57.76, Lydia Jacoby – 2022
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:00.02, Alexis Wenger – 2015
• 15-16 NAG Record: 58.19, Alex Walsh – 2017
• 17-18 NAG Record: 57.29, Lydia Jacoby – 2023

Top 8 Finishers

1. Piper Enge (UN)- 58.45
2. Bella Brito (CITI)- 59.09
3. Bianca Nwaizu (NOVA)- 59.73
4. Grace Rabb (TXLA)- 59.90
5. Mikayla Tan (CROW)- 1:00.03
6. Brooke Corrigan (ACAD)- 1:00.58
7. Ella McWhorter (LAC)- 1:00.82
8. Raya Mellott (CROW)- 1:01.04

Piper Enge, the Texas freshman, won the 100 breast in a new best time of 58.45. This was four tenths faster than the time she went to win the Texas Invite last month.

Bella Brito went under a minute for the first time this morning, and almost went under 59 in the final, placing 2nd in 59.09. She dropped almost a full second today, coming in at 1:00.06 from March of this year.

15-year-old Bianca Nwaizu took 3rd to log her first swim under a minute, going 59.73. Her best time coming in was 1:00.22 from last month.

Our final swimmer to earn her place in the sub-minute club was Grace Rabb. Rabb had a best time of 1:00.65 form March, and dropped to a 1:00.29 in the prelims. She dropped almost four tenths from that prelims swim to go 59.90 for 4th place.

BOYS’ 100 BREAST –Finals

• West Record: 52.21, Michael Andrew – 2015
• Meet Record: 52.21, Michael Andrew – 2015
• 13-14 NAG Record: 53.06, Reece Whitley – 2014
• 15-16 NAG Record: 51.75, Michael Andrew – 2015
• 17-18 NAG Record: 51.16, Reece Whitley – 2018

Top 8 Finishers

1. Campbell McKean (BEND)- 51.72
2. Jack Armour (TFA)- 51.86
3. Finnley Conklin (MAC)- 53.54
4. Keian Lam (FOX)- 53.88
5. Andrew Eubanks (TOPS0-53.93
6. Shareef Elaydi (SCSC)- 53.94
7. Stuart Timmerman (WILD)- 54.04
8. Trey Blervi (CSC)- 54.41

Campbell McKean won his 2nd event of the meet, coming in at 51.72 in this 100 breaststroke. This was a best time by almost a second, dropping from the 52.67 he went in November, and it also moves him to 6th in the all-time 17-18 rankings in the event.

Jack Armour saw a huge time drop today. The Notre Dame commit came in to the meet at 54.19 that he went in November. His swim this evening was over two seconds faster that that, earning the silver in 51.86. This also earned him a spot in the top-10 all time rankings, coming in at 10th.

Finnley Conklin rounded out the top 3, almost two seconds back of the top two swimmers, coming in at 53.54 for a four tenth drop from his previous best of 53.96 from November.

GIRLS’ 100 BACK –Finals

• West Record: 50.53, Bella Sims – 2022
• Meet Record: 49.46, Charlotte Crush – 2024
• 13-14 NAG Record: 50.44, Charlotte Crush – 2023
• 15-16 NAG Record: 49.46, Charlotte Crush – 2024
• 17-18 NAG Record: 49.46, Claire Curzan – 2023

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Teagan O’Dell (MVN)- 50.70
2. Alana Berlin (SSTY)- 51.48
3. Grace Rabb (TXLA)- 52.89
4. Delaney Herr (CITI)- 53.09
5. Jada Duncan (SMST)- 53.38
6. Hailey Weiler (SMAC)- 53.46
7. Daniela Linares Danzos (CROW)- 53.64
8. Gabi Brito (CITI)- 53.67

Teagan O’Dell won her 2nd event of the evening, coming in at 50.70 to win the girl’s 100 back. This was a new best time for her, two tenths faster than the 50.96 she went in May of 2023. 

Alana Berlin took 2nd in 51.48, dropping .13 from the 51.61 she went a few weeks ago. 

Grace Rabb swam her 3rd event of the evening, and placed 3rd in 52, 89, adding a smidge from her prelims time of 52.78, and going 8 tenths off her best of 52.09 from last December.

Vera Conic won the B final in 52.57, a half second faster than her 53.11 from March, and a time that would have earned her 3rd in the championship final.

BOYS’ 100 BACK –Finals

• West Record: 45.58, Ryan Hoffer – 2015
• Meet Record: 45.01, Will Modglin – 2022
• 13-14 NAG Record: 47.44, Daniel Diehl – 2020
• 15-16 NAG Record: 45.60, Anthony Grimm – 2019
• 17-18 NAG Record: 44.63, Ryan Murphy – 2014

Top 8 Finisher:

1. Maximus Williamson (LAC)- 46.70
2. Gavin Keogh (PAC)- 46.77
3. Luke Vatev (HOSC)- 47.09
4. Rowan Cox (TXLA)- 47.23
5. Oliver Schimberg (AQUA)- 47.47
6. Aaron Gordon (WLOO)- 47.60
7. Nash Hale (SSC)- 47.70
8. Luan Barnard (CHAT)- 47.91

Maximus Williamson also took home two golds this evening, winning the boy’s 100 backstroke in 46.70. This was around 4 tenths shy of his best time of 46.29 from February, but was enough to win the event by seven-one-hundredths.

Gavin Keogh placed 2nd, going 46.77. This was just under a second faster than his prelims swim of 47.42, and was three-one-hundredths faster than his best of 46.80 from last month.

Luke Vatev made up for his disqualification earlier in the evening with a 3rd place finish, though he was off his best time. He went 47.09, adding a little over two tenths from the 46.87 he went in prelims and earlier this week.

Nash Hale, who placed 7th, dropped almost two seconds over the course of the day, coming in at 49.64 and swimming finals in 47.70.

GIRLS’ 4X50 FREE RELAY –Finals

• West Record: 1:29.35, Mission Viejo Nadadores (Salvino, Kozan, Aquino, O’Dell) – 2022
• Meet Record: 1:29.05, Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club (Semenuk, Moore, Parker, Douglass) – 2012
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:33.30, TAC Titans, (Curzan, Morris, Dry, Cotter) – 2019
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:30.99 Virginia Gators (Bray, Kulp, Muzzy, Hamilton) – 2017
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:29.69, Nashville Aquatic Club (A. Walsh, Massey, Hurt, G. Walsh) – 2020

Top 3 Finishers:

1. Bellevue Club Swim Team A- 1:29.84
2. Mission Viejo Nadadores A- 1:29.92
3. Lakeside Aquatic Club A- 1:30.72

The Bellevue Club Swim Team won the girl’s 4×50 free relay, coming in at 1:29.84 with their relay of all 22s. Sophia Sunwoo, last night’s 3rd place finisher led off in 22.19, which would have earned her 2nd in the final last night. Kamryn Meskill went 2nd in 22.28. Heather White swam 22.46 on the 3rd leg, and Gracyn Kehoe brought them home in 22.91. They were the only girl’s relay to all go sub-23

Mission Viejo placed 2nd, just eight-one-hundredths back at 1:29.92. Teagan O’Dell went first, going 22.14, which would have tied for first last night, and she was followed by Gracyn Aquino in 22.14, Victoria Mori in 23.23, and Chloe Stinson in 22.41.

Lakeside Aquatic Club picked up the bronze in 1:30.72. Kennedi Southern went 22.63 in the 1st position. Marin Clem went 22.39 in 2nd. Olivia Colombo went 23.09 at 3rd, and Natalie Schneider anchored in 22.61.

BOYS’ 4X50 FREE RELAY –Finals

• West Record: 1:19.03, Bolles School Sharks (Dressel, Conodrelli, Goossen, Schooling) – 2012
• Meet Record: 1:19.03, Bolles School Sharks (Dressel, Conodrelli, Goossen, Schooling) – 2012
• 13-14 NAG Record: 1:25.63, Scottsdale Aquatic Club (Hoffer, Blake, Goll, Apel) – 2013
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:21.75, Central Ohio Aquatics (Carpenter, Lloyd, Wu, King) – 2024
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:18.92, Spartan Aquatic Club (Muhammad, Stoffle, Beamon, McGrady) – 2021

Top 8 Finisher:

1. Lakeside Aquatic Club A- 1:19.34
2. Quicksilver Swimming- 1:20.12 **New 15-16 NAG Record**
3. Scottsdale Aquatic Club- 1:21.58

The story on the boy’s side actually came out of the silver medal relay Quicksilver Swimming. Their relay was comprised entirely of 16-year-olds, and they set the new National Age Group Record for the age group, absolutely demolishing the old one set by Central Ohio Aquatics earlier this year. They led off with Tyler Porter in 19.94, which was actually about half a second off his best time of 19.49 from yesterday. Nathan Foucu went 2nd, going 20.03. Clark Apuada went 3rd in 20.20, and Isaac Litwiller went 4th, coming home in 19.95. They beat the previous record by 1.63 seconds.

Lakeside Aquatic Club actually took the gold in the event, coming in at 1:20.12, and their relay had the fastest split of the meet. Riccardo Osio went 20.67 on the lead-off leg. Maxwell Stanislaus went 19.79 at 2nd, and Luke Garrett went 20.04 as the anchor. Maximus Williamson swam 3rd on the relay, splitting 18.84. This was the fastest split of the night.

Scottsdale Aquatic Club placed 3rd, swimming 1:21.58 with their team of Ethan Reniewicki in 20.24, Jordan Falls at 20.14, Brady Holubar in 21.08, and Lewis Esterly anchoring in 20.12.