2024 Winter Junior Championships- West
- December 11-14, 2024
- Wednesday Finals: 5 pm EST
- Thursday-Saturday: Prelims: 10 am EST/ Finals: 5 pm EST
- Austin, TX
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Live Stream
- Live Results
- Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Finals Live Recap
On the final event of Winter Juniors – West Day 3, Quicksilver Swimming’s quartet of Tyler Porter, Nathan Foucu, Clark Apuada, Isaac Litwiller broke the 15-16 national age group record 200 yard free relay. The four combined for a total time of 1:20.12, a significant 1.51 seconds under Central Ohio Aquatics’ (COA) previous record of 1:21.63, which COA had just reset less than a month ago. That relay featured Austin Carpenter, Jacob Lloyd, and Brad King, who were all 16, while Caden Mahl was 15. As for Quicksilver Swimming, the entirety of their relay squad is 16.
Central Ohio Aquatics had also owned the previous NAG record, which they set back in March with a 1:21.75. That record featured 3 of the 4 legs that were in COA’s more recent record, only switching out Caden Mahl for Alex Wu.
Splits Comparison:
| New Record | Old Record | |
| Quicksilver Swimming | Central Ohio Aquatics | |
| 50y | Tyler Porter — 19.94 | Austin Carpenter – 20.24 |
| 100y | Nathan Foucu — 20.03 | Jacob Lloyd – 19.87 |
| 150y | Clark Apuada — 20.20 | Caden Mahl – 20.63 |
| 200y | Isaac Litwiller — 19.95 | Brad King – 20.89 |
| 1:20.12 | 1:21.63 |
COA’s record featured a wide range of splits, with a second difference between Lloyd’s 19.87 and King’s anchor leg of 20.89. In comparison to Quicksilver’s relay, no swimmer was over 20.2, and the team had 2 swimmers go under the 20-point barrier. Their splits were all within 0.26 seconds of one another. Porter was three tenths quicker than Carpenter’s opening 20.24 to set the tone for their record breaking swim. He owns a best time of 19.49 — which he set in finals on Day 1 of this meet to place 2nd behind only Maximus Williamson. He came into the meet however, with a PB of 20.14.
Although Foucu was unable to match Lloyd’s quick 19.87 split, his 20.03 was still well under his individual flat start PB of 20.43, which he also set earlier this meet. Apuada was a key factor in breaking this record, as he was over .4 faster than Mahl. At the 150 mark, Quicksilver was already 0.57 seconds under the NAG record, but it was Litwiller’s 19.95 split that truly made the difference, as he was nearly a second faster than King’s 20.89.
For Litwiller this was a huge swim, as his personal best stands at 20.70, a time from the CIF Championships set earlier this year in May. Litwiller also swam the 50 free at this meet individually, where he clocked a 20.71 for 56th.
Quicksilver was thus faster on every leg besides Lloyd’s. The team placed 2nd overall, behind only Lakeside Aquatic Club’s 1:19.34. Quicksilver will swim the 4×100 free relay on Day 4, where they are seeded 3rd.
Central Ohio Aquatics competed at Winter Junior’s East just a few hours earlier, where they placed 6th in 1:21.45. While this was faster than the NAG record, they were ineligible to break it, as their team featured 17-year-old Alex Wu.
The Spartan Aquatic Club in Georgia still holds the overall 15-18 record with a 1:18.92 from 2021.
