2024 Winter Junior Championships – West: Day 2 Prelims 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
• 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:

1. Kayla Han (La Mirada Armada) – 4:39.99
2. Ella Cosgrove (Flying Fish Arizona) – 4:41.05
3. Madi Mintenko (Pikes Peak Athletics) – 4:42.28
4. Montse Spielman (Alamo Area Aquatic) – 4:44.99
5. Paige Downey (Gold Medal Swim Club) – 4:46.44
6. Savannah Skow (Las Cruces Aquatic Team) – 4:48.44
7. Alyssa Ton (Irvine Novaquatics) – 4:49.50
8. 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:

1. Aiden Hammer (King Aquatic Club) – 4:16.80
2. Noah Mudadu (Sandpipers of Nevada) – 4:18.32
3. Gabriel Manteufel (Sandpipers of Nevada) – 4:18.81
4. Maxwell Stanislaus (Lakeside Aquatic Club) – 4:18.89
5. Luke Ellis (Sandpipers of Nevada) – 4:19.38
6. Chase Maier (Fox Valley Swim) – 4:19.52
7. Gideon Swan (First Colony Swim) – 4:21.51
8. Jiarui Xue (Aquajets Swim Team) – 4:21.64

The heats of the boys’ 500 free proved to be a close battle, as several of the top eight qualifiers are separated by mere hundredths of a second and a number of swimmers turned in huge personal performances.

Dominating the field was Aiden Hammer, who claimed the top spot in a best time of 4:16.80. This morning’s race was a huge performance for Hammer, as it marked a personal best time by 2.3 seconds barely over month after setting his previous lifetime best.

Taking the runner-up position was Noah Mudadu, who threw down a monster PB with his time of 4:18.32. His race knocked over nearly seconds off of his previous best time of 4:27.10 which he posted in May.

In close succession behind Mudadu were Gabriel Manteufel and Maxwell Stanislaus, both of whom also turned in lifetime best times. Manteufel shaved just .1 off of his previous time, posting a 4;18.81, while Stanislaus dropped six seconds with his time of 4:18.89. Separated by just .08, the duo should make for an exciting race this evening.

Another massive time drop came from Gideon Swan, who threw down a time of 4:21.51 to lower his lifetime best by almost seven seconds. Just behind him was Jiarui Xue, whose time of 4:21.64 marked a new PB by nearly four seconds.

Luke Ellis took the #5 spot heading into finals with a time of 4:19.38, about two seconds off of his best. Ellis came into the competition as the top seed in the event and will be one to keep an eye on tonight as the top eight battle it out in finals.

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:

1. Gabi Brito (Beach Cities) – 1:56.39
2. Teagan O’Dell (Mission Viejo Nadadores) – 1:56.53
3. Grace Rabb (Longhorn Aquatics) – 1:56.94
4. Kelsey Zhang (Palo Alto) – 1:57.70
5. Sophie Segerson (Bellevue Club) – 1:57.89
6. Alana Berlin (Schroeder YMCA) – 1:58.52
7. Madi Mintenko (Pikes Peak Athletics) – 1:58.73
8. Kamryn Meskill (Bellevue Club) – 1:58.74

As the youngest in the top eight by three years, Gabi Brito made a splash in the 200 IM heats this morning. The 14-year-old secured the top spot heading into finals with a best time of 1:56.39. Her performance bumped her up to 3rd on the all-time top 100 for the girls’ 13-14 age group in the event, trailing only Audrey Derivaux and Alex Walsh.

Not far behind Brito was Teagan O’Dell, who cruised into the runner-up position with a 1:56.53. Originally the top seed in the event coming into the meet, O’Dell’s performance added over three seconds to her best time.

Sophie Segerson posted a personal best time in her race, securing the 5th spot heading into finals with a time of 1:57.89. She shaved just under a second off of her previous lifetime best, which she just set in mid-November.

Claiming the #7 spot, Madi Mintenko threw down a notable time drop in her swim, posting a 1:58.73 to shave almost 2.5 seconds off of her previous best and mark her first time under 2:00.

Just .01 behind Mintenko was Kamryn Meskill, who also turned in a massive lifetime best with her time of 1:58.74, dropping almost four seconds and narrowly securing her spot in the ‘A’ final.

Bella Brito, who placed 9th this morning, posted a time of 1:58.75, adding .6 and just missing landing in the top eight.

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:

1. Campbell McKean (Bend Swim Club) – 1:42.33
2. Maximus Williamson (Lakeside Aquatic Club) – 1:44.61
3. Jack Armour (Texas Ford Aquatics) – 1:45.81
4. Rowan Cox (Longhorn Aquatics) – 1:45.88
5. Abe Astle (Olympus Aquatics) – 1:46.10
6. Henry Webb (Aquajets Swim Team) – 1:46.33
7. Stuart Timmerman (NASA Wildcat Aquatics) – 1:46.88
8. Tyler Bardak (Fox Valley Swim) – 1:46.95

Campbell McKean dominated the competition this morning, throwing down a lifetime best performance of 1:42.33 to knock 1.9 seconds off his previous time and secure the top spot heading into finals.

Cruising into 2nd behind him was Maximus Williamson, who posted a time of 1:44.61. As the current meet record holder and 17-18 NAG record holder in the event, Williamson will be one to watch to see what he may throw down this evening.

Abe Astle turned in a lifetime best of 1:46.10, shaving .67 off of his previous time to secure the #5 spot heading into finals. Close behind him was Henry Webb, whose time of 1:46.33 marked a massive time drop for him as he knocked almost three full seconds off of his best.

Separated by just .07, Stuart Timmerman and Tyler Bardak both set new PBs. Posting times of 1:46.88 and 1:46.95, respectively, Timmerman shaved .89 off of his previous best while Bardak knocked nearly two seconds off of his.

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:

1. Teagan O’Dell (Mission Viejo Nadadores) – 22.21
2. Liberty Clark (Crow Canyon Sharks) – 22.50
3. Gabi Brito (Beach Cities) – 22.51
4. Madi Mintenko (Pikes Peak Athletics) – 22.52
5. Sophia Sunwoo (Bellevue Club) – 22.53
6. Kamryn Meskill (Bellevue Club) – 22.55* (TIE)
7. Jada Duncan (Sierra Marlins) – 22.55* (TIE)
8. KK LeBlanc (First Colony Swim Team) – 22.57

Following a quick turnaround from the 200 IM, Teagan O’Dell secured the top qualifying spot in the 50 free in a time of 22.21. Dominating the field, O’Dell leads the top eight qualifiers by .29, a significant margin in this event.

The next eight swimmers followed in rapid succession, with only .07 separating 2nd-place from 8th-place.

Snagging the runner-up spot with a best time of 22.50 was Liberty Clark, who shaved .14 off of her previous time. Just .01 behind her was Gabi Brito, throwing down a time of 22.51 to narrowly miss her lifetime best of 22.49.

Mintenko took on her 3rd race of the day, in which she threw down a massive PB and secured the #4 spot heading into finals with a time of 22.52. She dropped over half a second from her previous best time and posted her third finals-qualifying swim of the session.

Kamryn Meskill and Jada Duncan tied for 6th, both turning in times of 22.55. Duncan shaved .06 off of her lifetime best, while Meskill narrowly missed her own by just .07.

Originally tying for 8th-place and setting themselves up for a swim-off, KK LeBlanc and Kennedi Southern both posted times of 22.57 in the heats. The performances marked personal best times for both of them, with Southern dropping over half a second while LeBlanc shaved .07 off of her time.

The swim-off LeBlanc blast into the wall first, throwing down a time of 22.37 to knock another .2 off of her lifetime best and secure her spot in the ‘A’ final. Southern, 14-years-old, posted another 22.57 to solidify her position as the top seed in the ‘B’ final.

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:

1. Maximus Williamson (Lakeside Aquatics) – 19.36
2. Seth Crow (Unattached-AZ) – 19.46
3. Tyler Porter (Quicksilver Swimming) – 19.58
4. Miles Blackson-Dunbar (Alpha Aquatics) – 19.70
5. Samuel Lofstrom (Team Vortex) – 19.93
6. Jack Boysen (First Colony Swim Team) – 20.02
7. Luke Vatev (Hornet Age Group) – 20.04
8. Alejandro Michelena (Unattached-GU) – 20.09

After adding some time in his 200 IM, Williamson threw down a top performance in the 50 free; he posted a lifetime best 19.36 to secure the top spot heading into finals.

Seth Crow turned in a strong performance to claim the runner-up position, posting a time of 19.46 and dropping .17 in his race.

Tyler Porter enjoyed a significant time drop in his race as well, throwing down a 19.58 to mark his first time going sub-20 seconds in the 50 free. In a similar fashion, Miles Blackstone-Dunbar and Samuel Lofstrom also posted their first sub-20 performances, turning in times of 19.70 and 19.93 to secure the #4 and #5 spots, respectively.

Separated by just .07 between 6th-place and 8th-place, Jack Boysen, Luke Vatev and Alejandro Michelena all posted personal best times to bump themselves up the ladder and secure a spot in the top eight heading into finals.