Claire Weinstein Swims 9:28 in the 1000 Free to Open Justin, Texas Sectionals

2025 Speedo Sectionals – Justin, Texas

• March 6-9, 2025
• Northwest ISD Aquatic Center, Justin, Texas
• Short Course Yards (25 Yards), Prelims/Finals
• Psych Sheets
• Results on Meet Mobile: “LAC 2024 Speedo Sectional Championship Series”

Olympic medalist Claire Weinstein opened up the 2025 Justin Sectionals with a win in the 1000 yard free on Thursday evening. While her time of 9:28.63 wasn’t a best time, the eight swimmers behind her all swam new personal bests.

Weinstein split 4:38.57 in the first 500 and 4:50.06 in the second 500. That first 500 split was actually faster than the 4:38.99 she used to open her best time from the December 2023 Huntington Beach Sectionals, she closed about 10 seconds slower on Thursday evening to finish behind that swim.

The runner-up was 15-year-old Madalyn Petty, a high school freshman and one of the state’s best swimming prospects. Already a Texas high school 6A state champion in her first season of scholastic competition, this will be her only head-to-head with Weinstein this weekend.

Petty swam 9:47.58, which took almost 10 seconds off her lifetime best in a true 1000 free from November; and almost seven off her best-split-en-route-to-a-1650 free from Winter Juniors in December. That ranks her as the third-best 15-year-old nationally in this event, behind only Audrey Derivaux from New Jersey (9:40) and Brinkleigh Hansen from Florida (9:44).

It is also a new US Nationals cut for Petty.

Applejean Gwinn, who is Weinstein’s teammate with the Sandpipers of Nevada, placed 3rd in 9:50.06, which was an 8.35 second drop off her seed time.

The top 9 finishers, and their improvement over their previous PB:

1. Claire Weinstein, Sandpipers of Nevada – 9:28.63
2. Madalyn Petty, Tyler Rose Aquatic Club – 9:47.58 (-6.81)
3. Applejean Gwifnn, Sandpipers of Nevada – 9:50.06 (-13.35)
4. Ava Pape, Texas Ford Aquatics – 9:53.51 (-2.47)
5. Makenna Sherman, Sandpipers of Nevada – 9:56.23 (-10.59)
6. Avery Whorton, Texas Ford Aquatics – 9:58.15 (-10.02)
7. Alexa Simmons, Nitro – 9:59.62 (-22.68)
8. Lillyana Caples, Pleasanton Seahawks – 10:01.37 (-6.49)
9. Alexandria Kauffman, Sandpipers of Nevada – 10:02.63 (-3.33)

The only boys’ individual event of the day was won by another Sandpiper, US National Team member Gabriel Manteufel. He won the 1000 free in 8:46.56, which knocked almost five seconds off his best time from the same December 2023 Sectionals meet where Weinstein swam her previous best time.

Manteufel led a trio of Sandpipers at the top of the field, with Junior National Team member Luke Ellis placing 2nd in 8:49.25 and Noah Mudadu dropping almost seven seconds to place 3rd in 8:54.97.

Day 1 Relay Winners:

• The Pleasanton Seahawks relay of Dani Linares Danzos (26.41), Raya Mellott (27.76), Katrin Otaegi (23.86) and Liberty Clark (21.85) combined to win the girls’ 200 medley relay in 1:39.88. Danzos is the top seed in both backstroke events later in the meet.
• Pleasanton won again with the same foursome, in a different order, in the session-ending 400 free relay. Clark (49.04), Otaegi (49.24), Linares Danzos (51.28), and Mellott (50.67) combined for a 3:20.23 swim in finals to lead the field by almost three seconds.
• The host Lakeside Aquatic Club won a tight race over Waterloo Swimming in the boys’ 200 medley. The relay of Maximus Williamson (21.56), Adam Huynh (25.24), Riccardo Osio (21.23), and Maxwell Stanislaus (19.89) combined for a 1:27.92, which takes over a second off the North Texas LSC Record in the 17-18 boys’ 200 medley relay. That split shows that Williamson is still in-form after setting three National High School Records at the Texas State Championship meet just over a week ago.
• Lakeside won again in the 400 free relay, this time by more than four seconds ahead of Texas Ford Aquatics. Williamson (42.58), Luke Garrett (44.56), Stanislaus (43.34), and Aubrey Jaya (44.79) were the winning members of this relay in 2:55.27. That same foursome swam 2:54.12 in December.

Team Standings After Day 1

Girls Top 5:

1. Lakeside Aquatic Club – 146
2. Pleasanton Seahawks – 91
3. Sandpipers of Nevada – 69
4. Streamline Aquatics – 66
5. AAAA – 60

Boys Top 5:

1. Lakeside Aquatic Club – 119
2. Waterloo Swimming – 100
3. Texas Ford Aquatics – 66
4. First Colony Swim Team – 65
5. Streamline Aquatics – 64