2024 Winter Juniors – East: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2024 Winter Junior Championships – East

• December 11-14, 2024
• Wednesday Finals: 4 pm EST
• Prelims: 9 am EST/ Finals: 5 pm EST
• Greensboro, NC
• SCY (25 yards)
• Psych Sheets
• Event Page
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 Winter Juniors East”
• Prelims Recaps: Day 2
• Finals Recaps: Day 1

Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

It is time for day 2 finals of the Winter Junior Championships, and the East meet is up first. On tonight’s agenda is the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, and the 400 medley relays.

On the girl’s side, Chloe Kim from Scarlet Aquatics is coming in as the top seed in the girl’s 500 freestyle by over 4 seconds at 4:43.31.

In the 200 IM Elle Scott from SwimMAC takes the top seed with 13-14 NAG record holder Audrey Derivaux coming in 2nd. 3rd qualifier Rylee Erisman from Laker Swim Club scratched out of the final, but she is the 2nd seed in the 50 free tonight. Julie Mishler from FAST is the top seed in the 50, coming in a little over two tenths ahead of the rest of the field.

The boy’s side starts off with Ryan Erisman as the top seed in the boy’s 500 freestyle, coming in 3 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. The 200 IM is shaping up to be an exciting race with Thomas Mercer holding the top seed and Baylor Stanton, and Thomas Heilman also appearing in the final. Heilman will also appear in the 50 free final as the top seed.

The meet will finish with the 400 medley relays where the Bolles School will look to continue their sweep on the boy’s relays at this meet.

GIRLS’ 5oo FREESTYLE – Finals

• Meet Record: 4:27.52, Summer McIntosh – 2022
• 13-14 NAG Record: 4:35.14, Katie Ledecky – 2011
• 15-16 NAG Record: 4:28.61, Katie Ledecky – 2014
• 17-18 NAG Record: 4:26.58, Katie Ledecky – 2015

Top 8 Finishers

1. Chloe Kim (SCAR)- 4:42.33
2. Brinkleigh Hansen (SPA)- 4:44.42
3. Ellie Clarke (CSC)- 4:44.76
4. Nicole Zettel (TAC)- 4:45. 52
5. Abby Dunford (SYS)- 4:45.90
6. Emerson Callis (QSTS)- 4:47.26
7. Lexie Ward (CSC)- 4:48.25
8. Emily Wolf (FAST)- 4:49.21

17-year-old Chloe Kim from Scarlet Aquatics took home the gold in the girl’s 500 freestyle with a new best time of 4:42.33. She was out behind Brinkleigh Hansen, but she held steady and passed her into first, ultimately winning by over two seconds. Kim came into the meet at 4:45.95 from March of this year, and she is committed to swim at Princeton in the fall.

Brinkleigh Hansen, a 14-year-old from St. Petersburg Aquatics placed 2nd in the event at 4:44.42. This was about a half second add for Hansen who went 4:43.95 at the beginning of November at her High School State meet.

Rounding out the top 3 was Ellie Clarke from Carmel Swim Club at 4:44.76. This time marked almost a 10 second drop for the 15-year-old, who came into the season at 4:54.42 from January of this year.

BOYS’ 5oo FREESTYLE – Finals

• 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 Finishers

1. Ethan Ekk (ATAC)- 4:15.20
2. Xavier Sohovich (BSS)- 4:15.46
3. Ryan Erisman (LAKR)- 4:15.49
4. Norvin Clontz (MSA)- 4:17.26
5. Baylor Stanton (GA)- 4:17.92
6. Will Mulgrew (SAC)- 4:19.78
7. Nathan Szobota (NOVA)- 4:20.00
8. Koby Bujak Upton (UN)- 4:20.23

Ethan Ekk won the boy’s 500 free in a new best time of 4:15.20. Ekk was out second, and held that position until the next-to-last lap, ultimately beating 2nd and 3rd place by just over 2 tenths of a second. The 17-year-old from Area Tallahassee came into the meet at 4:19.58 from his high school state meet in early November. He is committed to swim at Stanford in the fall

Bolles School’s Xavier Sohovich led most of the race and held off Laker Swim’s Ryan Erisman for 2nd by 3 one-hundredths of a second in 4:15.46. This was a 5 second best time for Sohovic, a Navy commit, who came with a seed time of 4:20.47 from November of this year. He has seen a massive improvement over the course of the season, coming in with a best time of 4:29.38 from July.

Erisman, a Cal commit, took 3rd with his 4:15.49. This was a slight add from his prelims swim of 4:14.50, but was still under his previous best of 4:17.63 from Florida High School State in early November.

GIRLS’ 200 IM – Finals

• Meet Record: 1:52.21, 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 Finishers:

1. Audrey Derivaux (JW)- 1:55.24
2. Elle Scott (MAC)- 1:56.25
3. Molly Sweeney (CSC)- 1:56.48
4. Reina Liu (TAC)- 1:57.54
5. Annie Jia (UDAC)- 1:57.70
6. Sophie Umstead (MLA)- 1:58.05
7. Sarah Rodrigues (JAC)- 1:58.49
8. Chloe Kim (SCAR)- 2:01.05

Audrey Derivaux from the Jersey Wahoos won the girl’s 200 IM in 1:55.24. This was a new best time for the 15 year-old who went 1:55.73 en route to setting the 13-14 national age-group record in March. The 25-year-old Derivaux was out 24.54 on the fly leg, 28.34 on the back, 34.49 on the breast and 27.87 on the free to win the event by over a second.

The silver went to Elle Scott of SwimMAC in 1:56.25. This exactly ties her best time from this meet last year. Scott, a Cal commit, had a faster breaststroke leg than Derivaux at 33.48, but the rest of the splits went Derivaux’s way with Scott going 24.87 on the fly, 29.42 on the back, and 28.48 on the breast.

Molly Sweeney from Carmel took 3rd in 1:56.48. This was almost two seconds off her best time of 1:54.58 from this meet last year. Sweeney was out in 24.89 on the fly, then 29.22 on the back, 34.01 on the breast, and 28.36 on the free to finish just two tenths back of Scott.

BOYS’ 200 IM – Finals

• 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 Finishers:

1. Thomas Heilman (CA-Y)- 1:41.26
2. Thomas Mercer (LAK) – 1:43.51
3. Ian Stutts (MOR)- 1:45.59
4. Joseph Campagnola (WFLA)- 1:45.90
5. Grant Murphy (ASC)- 1:46.04
6. Kenneth Barnicle (GSCY)- 1:47.39
7. Sascha Macht (BSS)- 1:48.50
8. Baylor Stanton (GA)- DQ

Thomas Heilman took the boy’s 200 IM final in dominant fashion from all the way in lane 1, winning the event by more than two seconds. His final time of 1:41.26 was a 2 tenth drop for him from his previous best of 1:41.41 that he set at this meet last year to break the 15-16 NAG record. He was just eight one-hundredths away from Maximus Williamson’s meet record in the event. This was also the 2nd fastest swim in history before Campbell McKean went faster at the West meet, just an hour later. He now sits in 3rd.

2nd went to Thomas Mercer of Lakeside Swim Team, who is also committed to Virginia, coming in at 1:43.51. This was two tenths faster than her previous personal best of 1:43.74 that he set at the Kentucky High School State meet in February. He also finished two seconds ahead of the next closest finisher with 3rd going to Ian Stutts in 1:45.59.

Stutts, who swims for the Marlins of Raleigh, dropped a little over a second over the course of the day. He came into the meet with a personal best of 1:46.90 from March of this year.

GIRLS’ 50 FREE – Finals

• Meet Record: 21.49, Abbey 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 Finishers:

1. Julie Mishler (FAST)/ Rylee Erisman (LAKR)- 21.62
2. —
3. Charlotte Crush (LAK)- 22.04
4. Annie Jia (UDAC)- 22.05
5. Annam Olasewere (CPAC)- 22.10
6. Molly Workman (MLAC)- 22.37
7. Sarah Pailsey Owen (MAAC)- 22.50
8. Mena Boardman (CS)- 22.76

That was exciting. Julie Mishler and Rylee Erisman have both been National High School record holders in the 50 freestyle. Mishler broke the all-time record earlier this week, going 21.56 to break Gretchen Walsh’s record.

Erisman had the National Public School record at the Florida 4A championships in early November, going one one-hundredth faster than she went tonight at 21.61.

Mishler will be swimming at Louisville in the fall, and Erisman is only a sophomore.

Charlotte Crush, a 16-year-old from Lakeside, placed 3rd in 22.04, beating 4th place finisher Annie Jia by one one-hundredth

BOYS’ 50 FREE – Finals

• Meet Record: 18.71, Ryan Hoffer – 2016
• 13-14 NAG Record: 19.76, Michael Andrew – 2014
• 15-16 NAG Record: 19.24, Michael Andrew / Thomas Heilman – 2014 / 2023
• 17-18 NAG Record: 18.67, Caeleb Dressel – 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Thomas Heilman (CA-Y)- 19.26
2. Albert Smelzer (GSA)- 19.70
3. Luke Bedsole (HSA)- 19.71
4. Marvin Johnson (MCC)- 19.76
5. Austin Carpenter (COA)- 19.79
6. Andty Kravchenko (BSS)- 19.87
7. Brady Campbell (RAYS)- 19.92
8. Jonathan Hoole (RAYS)- 20.18

Thomas Heilman picked up his 2nd event win of the evening in the boy’s 50 freestyle, going 19.26 for the gold. His time tonight was two one-hundredths off his personal best of 19.24 from this meet last year when he tied Michael Andrew’s 15-16 NAG record.

Albert Smelzer went 19.70 in his 50 to pick up the silver for Greensboro Swimming Association. This was a new best time for the Cal commit, dropping a little over two tenths from his previous best of 19.96 that he went in March of this year

Luke Bedsole took 3rd for the Huntsville Swim Association, going one one-hundredth back from Smelzer in 19.71. This was just a few hundredths off his prelims time, and new personal best, of 19.67. His best time coming into the day was 19.82 from the Alabama High School Championships.

Girl’s 4×100 Medley Relay

• Meet Record: 3:33.28, Carmel Swim Club (Clarke, Sweeney, Shackell, Han) – 2023
• 13-14 NAG Record: 3:38.62, TAC Titans (Liu, He, Nixon, Whelehan) – 2024
• 15-16 NAG Record: 3:36.53, Virginia Gators (Bray, Muzzy, Whittney, Hamilton, Kulp)– 2017
• 17-18 NAG Record: 3:32.10, Elmbrook Swim Club (Wanezek, Thomas, Stoll, Tiltmann) – 2023

Top 3 Finishers:

1. SwimMAC Carolina ‘A’- 3:34.80
2. TAC Titans ‘A’- 3:35.59
3. Lakeside Swim Team ‘A’- 3:35.76

There it is! The first NAG record of the week! Charlotte Crush led off the Lakeside relay with a new 15-16 National Age Group Record in the 100 backstroke. Crush went 49.46 to break her own record of 49.53 from this meet last year. Crush is committed to swim at Tennesee in the fall of 2026.

The actual relay gold went to SwimMAC Carolina and their A relay of Karina Plaza (54.11), Elle Scott (58.68), Caroline Mallard (52.68), and Bree Smith (49.33). The four swimmers went 3:34.80 to win the event by almost 8 tenths.

The TAC Titans took home the silver in 3:35.59, just out-touching Lakeside. The relay consisted of Reina Liu (52.15), Mia Jeltema (1:01.75), Nikki Nixon (52.70), and Caden Martin (48.79).

Lakeside picked up the bronze after their blistering leadoff leg. The rest of their relay, Hanna Schmidt on breast (1:02.19), KC Braeger on fly (53.47), and Ava Grazziani on free (50.64) brought the team home in 3:35.76.

Boy’s 4×100 Medley Relay

• Meet Record: 3:08.95, Cavalier Aquatics-Piedmont Family YMCA (King, Moore, Heilman, Browne)– 2023
• 13-14 NAG Record: 3:24.49, Carmel Swim Club (Lancaster, Malicki, Haig, Enoch) – 2020
• 15-16 NAG Record: 3:13.95, Bolles School Sharks (Kyser, Porch, Lancaster, Kravchenko) – 2022
• 17-18 NAG Record: 3:10.27, Spartan Aquatic Club (Stoffle, Lin, Sacca, Muhammad – 2021

Top 3 Finishers:

1. Lakeside Swim Team ‘A’- 3:10.45
2. Bolles School Sharks ‘A’- 3:12.10
3. Cavalier Aquatics/Piedmont Family YMCA- 3:13.43

Lakeside Swim Team took the boy’s relay gold by a second-and-a-half over the Bolles School Sharks. Sawyer Tapp led off in 47.92. Wilson York swam the breaststroke in 43.68. Thomas Mercer swam the fly in 46.06, and Alex Thiesing swam the free leg in 42.81.

The Bolles boys took the silver, their first non-gold relay medal of the meet. Their team consisted of Carter Wright on the backstroke in 48.19, Eldad Zamir on the breast at 54.23, Antoine Destang on the fly at 46.89, and Andty Kravchenko on the free in 42.79 to go a total time of 3:12.10.

Cavalier Aquatics had the top split in the event, with Thomas Heilman going 43.95 on the fly leg. Will Charlton led off the relay with 50.34 on the backstroke, and he handed it off to Jack Hathaway who went 55.87 on the breast. After Heilman’s blistering fly split, Will Browne brought the team home in 43.27 for their final time of 3:13.43.

Top 10 Team Scores – Day 2 – Girls

1. SwimMAC Carolina – 187
2. TAC Titans- 146
3. Lakeside Swim Team- 127
4. Carmel Swim Club- 124
5. Sarasota Sharks- 116
6. Laker Swim- 95.5
7. Bolles School Sharks- 76
8. Mason Manta Rays- 71
9. Jersey Wahoos- 60
10. Mecklenburg Swim Association- 52

Team 10 Team Scores – Day 2 – Boys

1. Bolles School Sharks- 230
2. Lakeside Swim Team-  121
3. Cavalier Aquatics/Piedmont Family YMCA- 115
4. Mecklenburg Swim Association- 108
5. Mason Manta Rays- 95
6. Carmel Swim Club- 92
7. Dynamo Swim Club- 72
8. Nashville Aquatics Club- 71
9. Marlins of Raleigh -53
10. Central Ohio Aquatics- 40