AgonSwim Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming – 12/10/2014

It was a fantastic weekend of swimming all over the country with AT&T Winter Nationals, various Invitationals, and other age group meets. Here is our AgonSwim Weekly Wonders list for December 5-7, 2014.

Alex Walsh, 13, Nashville Aquatic Club: 50 free (23.23) – Walsh dropped a big .40 from her seed time and was about 1.4 seconds faster than she was a year ago when she won the women’s 50 free at the Nike Music City Invitational at the Centennial Sportsplex in Nashville. She also won the 100 breast (1:02.19), 200 back (2:00.15), and 200 IM (2:01.78), picking up personal bests in the latter two.

Christian Feiler, 17, Flatiron Athletic Club: 50y free (20.67) – Feiler went a best time by .23 at the CSI Pioneer Open. He was nearly a second faster than a year ago. Feiler also finished the weekend with a new time in the 200 back (1:52.78).

Jack Dolan, 13, Rockwood Swim Club: 100 free (48.08) – Dolan whacked 2.8 seconds off his seed time and won the boys 13-14 100 free at the Holiday H2O Invitational hosted by Rec-Plex Sharks Swim Team. Last December his PB was 53.63. Dolan also won the 50 free (21.89), 200 free (1:50.64), 100 back (53.90), 200 back (2:01.80), 100 fly (53.95), 200 IM (2:02.33), and the 400 IM (4:21.98), achieving best times in every event. He picked up two more PBs with a second-place finish in the 200 fly (2:07.95) and a fifth in the 500 free (5:11.16).

Ky-lee Perry, 16, Wilton Y Wahoos Swim Club: 100 free (49.91) – Perry broke the elusive 50-second barrier winning the girls 15 & over 100 free at the 22nd Annual YOTA-TYR Capital Classic hosted by YMCA of the Triangle Area. She was 1.2 seconds faster than at the same meet last year. Perry also swam to PBs in the 200 IM (2:08.05) and 50 back (with a 26.39 leadoff in the medley relay), as well as the 100 fly (57.48).

Trent Martinez, 13, Tualatin Hills Swim Club: 200y free (1:44.79) – Martinez improved his 200 free by nearly three seconds between prelims and finals at the Comfort Suites Corvallis Oregon Senior Open hosted by Corvallis Aquatic Team. He finished third in the men’s open division with 1:44.79, 6.5 seconds better than his performance at the same meet a year ago. Martinez also went home with new times in the 500 free (4:44.12), 100 back (56.71), and 200 back (2:00.75).

Townley Haas, 17, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics: 500y free (4:14.19) – Swimming at AT&T Winter Nationals, Haas took another 3.3 seconds off his best time and finished second to Connor Jaeger in the men’s 500 free. That puts him fourth on the all-time list for 17-18 year-old boys, and within two seconds of Michael Phelps’ NAG. And Haas is still 17.

Johannes Calloni, 14, Scarlet Aquatics: 1000y free (9:25.89) – Calloni dropped just over 30 seconds and jumped to the top of the national rankings for 14-year-old boys with his big 1000 leadoff split in the 1650 at AT&T Winter Nationals. He also posted a best time –by 47 seconds– in the 1650 (15:40.84) and now ranks second in his age group nationally.

True Sweetser, 17, Gator Swim Club: 1650y free (14:49.43) – Sweetser claimed the bronze medal in the 1650 at AT&T Winter Nationals with a 17-second drop to finish first among the early heats. He came in .06 ahead of Townley Haas for third. Sweetser finished the meet with new PBs in the 200 free (1:36.90), 500 free (4:16.63), and 400 IM (3:53.43) in addition to the mile.

Isabella Pytel, 11, Academy Bullets Swim Club: 100y back (1:02.55) – Pytel had a phenomenal weekend at the OLY Winter Invititational hosted by Oakland Live Y’ers at the IUPUI Natotorium in Indianapolis. She went best times in the 500 free (5:39.54), 100 free (56.98), 50 fly, (27.67), 200 IM (2:22.67), 200 free (2:09.30), 50 back (29.10), 100 IM (1:04.47), 50 free (25.68), 100 back (1:02.55), and 100 fly (1:03.30). She then went on to split 25.51, 25.39, and 25.20 in ACAD relays on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, respectively.

Erin Voss, 16, Greater Holyoke YMCA Vikings: 200y back (1:51.95) – Between prelims and finals at AT&T Winter Nationals, Voss took 3.4 seconds off her seed time and swam to a bronze medal in the 200 back. In so doing she rose to third on the all-time list for 15-16 year-old girls. In the 100 back Voss improved by 2.3 seconds and placed third in the B final. She also finished the meet with a new PB in the 500 free (4:44.72).

Alex Flores, 12, King Aquatic Club: 100y breast (1:01.15) – While everyone was (rightfully) celebrating Ethan Dang’s incredible breaststroke feats, his teammate Flores was quietly going about knocking it out of the park himself. Flores dropped exactly two seconds in the 100 breast and finished tied for 43rd at the 66th Annual Husky Swimming Foundation Invitational. That swim popped him up to second in the country behind Dang.

Max Cruz Costello, 12, Orinda Aquatics: 100y fly (54.16) – Cruz Costello took exactly three seconds off his seed time, and improved 6.3 over his time at the same meet a year ago, when he won the boys 11-12 fly at the Morgan Hill MAKOS 14 & Under Winter Championships in 54.16. He also won the 50 free (23.23), 200 free (1:50.21), 50 fly (24.54), and 200 fly (2:03.03). In addition, Cruz Costello finished the weekend with new times in the 100 free (50.98), 200 IM (2:07.54) and 400 IM (4:32.39).

Eric Knowles, 15, Dayton Raiders: 400y IM (3:57.14) – For his first foray under the 4-minute mark Knowles didn’t kid around: he rather crashed through the barrier and chopped 8.5 seconds off his seed time at the Oakland Live Y’ers Winter Invite. The weekend also produced best times for Knowles in the 200 free (1:41.84), 100 breast (59.36), 50 free (21.94), 500 free (4:34.33), 200 IM (1:53.85), 100 free (47.17), 200 back (1:55.61), and 200 breast (2:11.82).