There were so many great swims this past weekend. Fall high school season is nearing its peak, younger swimmers are dropping a ton of time, and activity is just picking up across the board. Of all the great swims we looked at from this past weekend, here are the AgonSwim Weekly Wonders for October 24-26, 2014:
Brian Jarupakorn, 11, Knik Aquatics: 50y free (26.36) – Jarupakorn won the boys 11-12 50 free and 50 breast and was sixth in the open 200 IM at the Fall Harvest Invite hosted by Chugiak Aquatics Club. Jarupakorn went a best time in the 50 free by 2/10 and was a full 4 seconds faster than he was last October. He also dropped 7.5 seconds in the 50 breast and 9 in the 200 IM. (Interesting fact: Brian’s sisters Christine, Wanlaya and Katherine, who are in the middle of high school season, make up 3/4 of the medley relay at Anchorage’s Bartlett High School. Older sister Jennifer is also a swimmer.)
Wen Zhang, 13, Dothan Dolphins Swim Team: 100y free (49.20) – At the Hurricanes Fall Classic hosted by Columbus Aquatic Club, Zhang dipped under 50 seconds for the first time and was nearly 4 seconds faster than at the same time last year. He also went best times in the 50/200 free, 50 breast, 50/100/200 fly, and 200 IM.
Taye Baldinazzo, 15, Columbia Aquatics Association: 200y free (1:43.03) – Baldinazzo went a PB by 1.4 and was 5.8 seconds ahead of last year’s pace to win the men’s 200 free at the Fall Senior Invitational hosted by Maryland Suburban Swim Club. Baldinazzo won the 100/500 free, 200 breast, and 200 IM, all with best times, and achieved PBs in the 50 free, 200 back and 400 IM as well.
Madeline Competello, 12, Long Island Aquatic Club: 1000y free (10:31.67) – Competello took second place in the girls open 1000 free at Chappy’s Big Race hosted by Long Island Aquatic Club. It was her best swim by more than 10 seconds and 37 seconds faster than a year ago. Competello also picked up new PBs in the 100 back and 50/100 breast.
Emily Ecker, 12, Portland Porpoise Swim Club: 1650y free (18:46.31) – At the October Trials Finals Meet hosted by Greenwood Swimming, Ecker belted out an 18:46.31 for her first-ever mile. The previous weekend she notched her best 500 free, 5:35.45.
Matthew Novinski, 15, Grand Island YMCA Quicksilver: 100y back (52.06) – Novinski just eked out a new personal best in the 100 back at the Spooky Splash hosted by Lincoln Select Swimming. He also eked out the win, getting the touch by .04. Novinski finished the weekend with new times in the 50/100/200 free.
Ashley Pollok, 15, Blue Tide Aquatics: 200y back (2:03.38) – Pollok had three firsts (200 back, 200/400 IM) and three seconds (100 free, 100 breast, 100 fly) at the BTA-CFSC-KATY-TWST Quad Meet hosted by Blue Tide Aquatics. She went a best time in the 200 back, 5.3 seconds ahead of last year’s pace, and in the 50 free leading off BTA’s relay.
Lena Hayakawa, 17, Kamehameha Swim Club: 100y breast (1:04.05) – Hayakawa put up a best time in the 100 breast and won the girls 17-18 High Point Award at the 15th Annual Bill Smith Invitational. In addition to the 100 breast, her PBs for the weekend included 100 back and 100 fly.
Meghan Lynch, 11, Greenwich YWCA Dolphins Swim Team: 200y breast (2:25.43) – Lynch had a superlative weekend of racing at the Marlins October Qualifier hosted by the YMCA of Greenwich Marlins. Her 200 breast alone was impressive: she dropped 8.2 seconds and cracked the top 90 of all-time for 11-12 girls. She won the girls 11-12 100/200 free, 100/200 breast, and 100/200 IM, and was fourth in the mixed open 1650 free. She went best times in all seven, and now leads the nation for 11-year-old girls in each of those events (with the exception of the 1650, which is not part of USA Swimming’s Top Ten list for her age group). Stunning.
Andrew Clough, 11, Buffalo Area Aquatic Club: 100y fly (1:04.25) – At the 11th Annual Halloween Swim Meet hosted by Town of Tonawanda Titans Swim Club, Clough won the boys 11-12 50/100 free, 100/200 breast, 100 fly, and 100/400 IM, with personal bests in all but one event. His 100 fly was a PB by 1.4 seconds, and about 13 faster than last year.
Carl Krell, 14, Kemmerer Swim Club: 100y fly (54.46) – Krell lopped 1.6 seconds off his 100 fly at the 31st Annual Spook Splash hosted by Lander Swim Club. Krell won the boys 13-14 50/100 free, 100/200 back, 100 breast, 100/200 fly, and 200 IM and was second in the 500 free. He left the meet with 8 new personal bests (everything but the 500).
Gianna Spremullo, 12, Seacoast Swimming Association: 200y fly (2:18.49) – Spremullo swam to a new best in the both the 100 and 200 fly at Greenwood Swimming’s October Trials Finals Meet. Spremullo won the girls 11-12 100/200 back and 200 fly, was second in the 200 free and 100 back, and third in the 100 free.
Beau Fusilier, 17, Texas Gold: 200y IM (1:54.00) – Swimming at Longhorn Aquatics’ 11 & Over Fall Kick Off, Fusilier dropped 2.3 and went 4 seconds faster than he did a year ago in the 200 IM. He won the boys 13 & over 200/400 IM and finished the meet with new PBs in both IMs, the 200 back, and the 200 fly.
I have much better times now
At the same meet that Meghan Lynch went to, GYWD’s Thomas Dillinger, 17, in a pre-Sr. National tune-up goes 21.16, 46.91, 1:44.33 in 50-100-200-Free and adds a 58.71 and 2:10.74 in 100 and 200-Breast.
GYWD’s Kate Hazlett, 14, and prepping for her first Jr. national Meet in Seattle goes 24.54 and 53.71 in 50 and 100-Free and post a 59.75 100-Back.
All unrested!
12-year-old Madelyn Donohoe from The Fish
4.58.62 in the 500 free
10.04.03 in the 1000 free
11-year-old Meghan Lynch from Greenwich YWCA Dolphins Swim Team
1.07.66 in the 100 breast
2.25.43 in the 200 breast
A great name of the past in the Bill Smith Meet in Hawaii. One of the many greats from the islands two Golds in 1948 400 free and 800 relay. Ohio State grad.
Her 100IM time was more than a second slower than one posted in AZ, which has just not reached USA swim yet. AZ times seem to be late getting to site.