Brought to you by Spectrum Aquatics, a SwimSwam partner, our Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series celebrates swimmers of every age and experience level with age group profiles of some recent results.
David Li, 9, Brea Aquatics (CA): Li went four-for-four in lifetime bests at the Aquazot H/F Closed Invite last weekend in Irvine, taking over the top spot for nine-year-old boys this season in three events. Li now ranks 1st in the U.S. for nine-year-old boys in the 500 free (5:40.36), 50 fly (29.09) and 100 fly (1:03.89), while he moves to 7th in the 100 back (1:09.64). His swim in the 100 fly also ranks him 3rd in the 10 & under age group for the season.
Maddy Szymanowski, 12, Aquazot Swim Club (CA): Also racing at the Aquazot H/F Closed Invite, Szymanowski won four events and set lifetime bests in five in the girls’ 11-12 age group, particularly impressing in the breaststroke events. Szymanowski took more than six-tenths off her best time in the 100 breast, clocking 1:05.56 to rank 1st in the 11-12 age group this season, while in the 200 breast, she dropped from 2:25.29 to 2:24.06 to rank 2nd in the age group. The 12-year-old also set best times in the 200 free (2:03.53), 500 free (5:26.52) and 50 back (30.11).
Andrew Zhang, 12, Mason Manta Rays (OH): Zhang was on fire racing at home as the Mason Manta Rays hosted their February Invitational last weekend, as the 12-year-old set five personal bests and won six events. Zhang cracked the top 10 in the boys’ 11-12 age group this season in the 100 IM (57.42) and 200 breast (2:20.22), ranking 5th and 7th, respectively, and he also moved to 17th in the 100 fly (57.45), 23rd in the 200 free (1:53.88) and 45th in the 500 free (5:14.01). Although not best times, he also clocked 29.50 in the 50 breast and 1:03.51 in the 100 breast, just shy of his 29.32/1:02.90 best times that rank 10th and 4th, respectively, this season.
Maggie Dickinson, 14, Schroeder YMCA Swim Team (WI): Dickinson swept her events and set three best times at the 45th Schroeder A+ Meet last weekend, showing off her ability in the sprint free events. Dickinson led off Schroeder YMCA’s 400 free relay in a time of 50.44, lowering her previous personal best time of 50.67 to rank 7th this season int he girls’ 13-14 age group. The 14-year-old also set best times in the 50 free (23.36) and 200 free (1:52.33), ranking 17th and 42nd, respectively, in the 13-14 age group this season. She also won the 100 back (53.98) and 100 fly (56.55) at the meet, with her best times in those events sitting at 53.28 and 56.38, respectively.
Noah Walker, 14, Piranhas YMCA of the Suncoast (FL): Walker set five personal bests and added a blistering swim in the 100 back at the FL Fast February Invite last weekend, launching himself up the boys’ 13-14 age group rankings this season. Walker set a PB of 23.60 in the 50 back to rank 6th in the age group this season, and he added a 50.91 clocking in the 100 fly to rank 7th. He also moved to 11th this season in the 100 free (47.17) and 21st in the 100 breast (58.53) with best times. In the 100 back, he went 51.07, just shy of the lifetime best he set earlier this season (50.71) which ranks 6th in the age group.
Molly Yacoviello, 17, York and York County YMCA (MA): Yacoviello had a big swim in the 200 fly at the John deBarbadillo Invitational in York, PA, dropping nearly a second from her previous best time in 2:00.10. The swim ranks Yacoviello 22nd among 17-year-old girls in the U.S. this season, and also earns her a Summer Juniors cut. The Wisconsin commit also set best times in the 1650 free (17:21.27) and 100 back (58.40) at the meet.
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