Eric Lee, Chloe Kim & Reid O’Connell Shine At LIAC Thanksgiving Invite

2022 LIAC Thanksgiving Invitational

• November 18-20, 2022
• East Meadow, N.Y.
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “MR 2022 LIAC Thanksgiving Invitational”

Age group swimmers from around the Tri-state area converged last weekend to take part in the Long Island Aquatic Club’s Thanksgiving Invitational in East Meadow, N.Y., and there were several high-level performances produced.

Scarlet Aquatics had an excellent showing, highlighted by Eric Lee, Richard Poplawski and Chloe Kim.

Lee, 16, went on a tear, setting new personal best times in the 100 back (49.11), 100 breast (56.09), 100 fly (49.64), 200 fly (1:47.49) and 400 IM (3:49.91).

Lee’s time in the 400 IM moved him into a tie for 37th all-time in the boys’ 15-16 age group, dipping under his previous best of 3:50.02, and ranks him first in the age group this season.

Poplawski, also 16, took second in a lifetime best of 3:51.34, which ranks second for 15-16 boys this season and 62nd all-time.

Lee also moved into 100th in age group history with his 200 fly performance, which marked his first time under the 1:50 barrier.

Poplawski added notable personal bests in the 200 IM (1:47.87) and 100 back (49.61), ranking him fourth and 13th in the age group this season, respectively.

Kim put up four personal best times, highlighted by a 1:49.33 effort in the 200 free that ranks her fourth among 15-year-old girls in the U.S. this season.

The 400 IM champion in long course meters at the Speedo Junior National Championships this past August, Kim also clocked 4:13.58 in the yards version of the event, just shy of her personal best of 4:13.13 set last season. She now ranks first in the country this season among 15-year-old girls by more than two seconds.

Kim also neared her best time with a 2:01.65 showing in the 200 IM, and added PBs in the 100 back (56.78), 100 fly (55.66) and 200 fly (2:02.39).

Highlighting the LIAC swimmers was 13-year-old Reid O’Connell, who made an impact in the boys’ 11-12 age group over the last two years.

O’Connell established new bests in the 200 back (1:54.62), 100 breast (1:00.77), 200 breast (2:12.35), 100 fly (53.50) and 200 fly (1:58.71) while nearing his best of 53.39 in the 100 back (53.80).

The 200 back effort ranks him 57th all-time among 13-year-old boys and second in 2022-23, while he also moved into the top eight in all of the other events for the season.

Another LIAC standout was 10-year-old Ryan Yao, who set five best times, including clocking 1:04.47 in the 100 IM which ranks him second this season among 10 & under boys.

Badger Swim Club’s Alexa Reyna was also strong at the meet, establishing personal bests in the 100 free (51.21) and 200 free (1:48.59), the latter of which ranks ninth this season among 17-year-old girls.