In our Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series, we celebrate swimmers of every age and experience level with age group profiles of some recent results.
Parker Wheeler, 11, SwimAtlanta (GA): Wheeler was been on fire throughout the month of October, setting some of the fastest times for 11-year-old boys in the U.S. this season across nearly every event. After racing at the SwimAtlanta October Invite and then the Great Pumpkin Invite one week later, Wheeler ranks 1st for 11-year-old boys this season in the 100 free (51.60), 200 free (1:51.79), 500 free (5:00.41), 1650 free (17:33.10), 50 fly (25.82), 200 fly (2:14.17) and 400 IM (4:35.87). He also holds top-five rankings in the 50 free, 50 back, 200 back, 100 fly and 200 IM.
Izzy Riva, 15, Saint Petersburg Aquatics (FL): Riva swept the girls’ 100 and 200 free at the Tampa Bay Classic representing Shorecrest Prep, setting lifetime bests in both races. A 15-year-old sophomore, Riva clocked 4:52.20 in the 500 free, ranking her 2nd among 15-year-old girls this season as she drops more than four seconds off her previous best time. In the 100 free, after breaking 52 seconds for the first time in early October in 51.61, Riva got down to 51.53 to claim the win, ranking her 6th this season among 15-year-olds.
Alex Kirsling, 11, Nitro Swimming (ST): Kirsling won all six events he contested at the TXLA 11 & Over Fall Kickoff in Austin, posting some of the top times this season for his age. The Nitro Swimming product clocked a blistering 2:09.31 in the 200 back, ranking #1 this season for 11-year-old boys, and he moved into 2nd in the 500 free (5:10.71) and 400 IM (4:40.68). He also posted the #3 time in the 50 fly (26.99), the #5 time in the 200 free (1:56.33) and the #6 time in the 50 free (24.95).
Gabi Brito, 14, Beach Cities Swimming (CA): Brito lit up the pool at the TORR Spooky Splash last weekend in Torrance, Calif., setting three personal best times and nearing another in a phenomenal performance. Brito’s top swim came in the 100 free, as she blasted a time of 49.51 to rank 26th all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group and 1st this season. Brito also posted times of 1:49.84 in the 200 free and 4:18.31 in the 400 IM that rank 1st in the age group this season, with the latter also moving to 97th all-time. She also went 1:03.55 in the 100 breast, just shy of her best time (1:03.39) to rank 2nd among 13-14s this season.
Owen Gee, 14, Cincinnati Marlins (OH): Gee won five events and set seven best times at the CSC Fall Frenzy at IUPUI last weekend, showing impressive range across free, back, fly and IM. His best swim came in the 100 fly, where Gee put up a time of 51.12 to rank 1st among 13-14 boys this season. He also clocked 52.93 in the 100 back, good for 7th in the age group this season, and the Cincinnati Marlin also cracked the top 10 for the age group this season in the 200 back (1:55.89 for 7th) and 200 fly (1:57.26 for 6th).
Connie Coulthard, 13, Middies Wave Ryders (MR): Coulthard had impressive performances at back-to-back meets in New York state, kicking things off at the YMID Fall Festival in White Plains. Coulthard, who was still 12 at the time, won all six events she raced and set four best times, highlighted by her 59.52 clocking in the 100 back, which ranks 2nd for 11-12 girls this season. One week later in NYPHSAA competition, Coulthard, an 8th-grader, set a personal best time in the 200 IM (2:11.97) to place 3rd at the Section 1 League 1 Championship. That swim ranked her 6th this season for 11-12s. In the days since that meet, she has aged up to 13.
nice job dude!