2023 Summer Junior National Championships
- July 31 – August 4, 2023
- LCM (50 meters)
- William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, California, United States
- Meet Central
- Complete Results
In his last meet before becoming a Cal Golden Bear this fall, Carmel Swim Club’s Aaron Shackell emerged as the top boys’ swimmer at the 2023 U.S. Summer Junior National Championships.
Shackell scored 80 individual points, competing in one event per day during the five-day meet. He began by winning the 200 fly on Day 1 in 1:56.01, missing his lifetime best from last summer’s Junior Pan Pacific Championships, by .26. He finished nevertheless two body lengths ahead of Carmel teammate Gregg Enoch, who placed second with 1:58.49.
On Day 2, Shackell was runner-up in the 100 free with 49.52. He dropped .80 to break the 50-seconds barrier for the first time and picked up a 2024 Olympic Trials cut in the process.
Shackell’s most impressive swim of the meet came on Day 3, when he dropped 2.19 seconds to win the 400 free with a meet record of 3:47.00. He vaulted to #3 in the 17-18 age group and came within .92 of Larsen Jensen’s 2004 national age group record. Shackell came to the wall 4.77 seconds ahead of fellow Hoosier Luke Whitlock from Fishers Area Swimming Tigers.
The 200 free on Day 4 was probably the most exciting of his individual finals. Swimming next to Jersey Wahoos’ Henry McFadden, just home from representing Team USA at World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Shackell came from three-tenths back at the 150 wall to overtake McFadden with a 26.8 on the last 50 meters. He won by a tenth, 1:47.46 to 1:47.56.
McFadden competed in the 50 free on Day 4, coming in 14th place with 23.29.
He also swam on all five relays (but relay points do not count toward the individual High Point Award).
Aaron Shackell’s point tally:
- 200 fly – 20 points
- 100 free – 17 points
- 400 free – 20 points
- 200 free – 20 points
- 50 free – 3 points
What a beast!!! Love it those times are 👺😳