2018 SOUTHERN PREMIER MEET
- March 2nd-4th 2018
- Nashville Aquatic Club, Nashville, Tennessee
- 25y (SCY) course
- Live results
Not to be out-done by her younger sister Gretchen, who broke a National Age Group Record in the 50 free on Saturday, 16-year old Nashville Aquatic Club swimmer Alex Walsh crushed the National Age Group Record in the 200 breaststroke on Sunday by more than a second.
Walsh swam a 2:06.45, which broke Zoe Bartel‘s National Age Group Record of 2:07.73 set in 2016. Walsh now ranks inside of the top 25 for all-time fastest performers in the event, checking in at 24th (15th among just Americans).
Walsh’s previous best time was a 2:08.85 done at this meet last year when she was still 14. That time wasn’t a National Age Group Record, but she does hold the 11-12 record in 2:15.64 from 2014.
Alex Walsh now holds National Age Group Records in backstroke, breaststroke, and IM events. That includes the 15-16 100 breaststroke record, which she owns with a 58.19 set late last year.
Walsh’s teammate Ella Nelson took 2nd in 2:09.81, which is also her best time. She now ranks 11th all-time in 15-16 history.
Splits Comparison:
| SWIMMER | 1ST 50 SPLIT | 2ND 50 SPLIT | 3RD 50 SPLIT | 4TH 50 SPLIT | FINAL TIME |
| Zoe Bartel(2016) | 29.43 | 32.47 | 32.73 | 33.10 | 2:07.73 |
| Alex Walsh (2018) | 29.39 | 31.96 | 32.49 | 32.61 | 2:06.45 |
This was confusing to me. After a little research, I guess it was a mistake?
“Walsh’s previous best time was a 2:08.85 done at this meet last year when she was still 14.”
Alex Walsh is 16, so I think it would be “when she was still 15.”
It’s rare to see two siblings in the same 2-year age group. It’s a million times rarer to see them both set NAG records on the same day!
Crazy to think that.2 years ago her future was all about backstroke. Since then her backstroke has stalled while her breaststroke has exploded. 58.19/2.06.45 WOW! Can’t wait to see how she converts that SCY progression into the big pool.
Her freestyle is improving a lot too. If she can do the same on fly then her 200 IM is gonna be huge in the years to come.
Season 2015/2016
SCY
1.01.25/2.15.60 on breaststroke
51.62/1.52.07 on backstroke
200 IM. 1.56.20
Season 2016/2017
SCY
58.80/2.08.85 on breaststroke
52.32/1.53.70 on backstroke
200 IM. 1.54.48
Season 2017/2018
SCY
58.19/2.06.45 on breaststroke
51.45/1.51.42 on backstroke
200 IM. 1.54.02
Weird that she was “only” in 1.56.14 at this meet in the 200 IM considering her other performances.
She didn’t swim the 200 breast at jnats and I think her 50 free at jnats was part of a double. Those two events were her biggest PBs at this meet.
Did Alex commit to Cal already??
Are we already starting this talk as a Sophomore…… I hope she gets the time for “carpe diem”….enjoy the fruits of her labor, look forward to greater moments inside swimming and out without the pressure of trying to decide what college will welcome her…. they all will be rolling out the welcome mats and there are too many variables for someone her caliber to be bothered with at this stage in her life! Congrats to your accomplishments thus far! You will be fun to watch!
How coincidental that they’re from the same club team as the legendary Tracy Caulkins. Her sister Amy was also a national champion sprinter (national team water polo also).
Not to be a negative Nancy but I’d love to see the statistics regarding all of these young age groupers doing world class times at such young ages. Seems to me that this is not going to translate to more world records and gold medals. Perhaps I’m wrong but I am skeptical of 14 and 15 year olds going this fast this young. I’ve been in this sport for nearly 50 years and I’ve never seen a 14-15 year old (other than Coughlin and Phelps) break NAGs and be in the sport ten years later and getting faster. Seems to me that there’s too much emphasis by AG Coaches to get kids to swim sort fast at younger and younger… Read more »
I see this brought up a lot. Seems to be wishful thinking. We can all make the stats spin any direction, but these days, many National Age Group Record holders go on to win Olympic and World Championshipmedals. Ryan Murphy, Missy Franklin, Simone Manuel, Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel, Townley Haas. Jack Conger, who is headed that direction, held records at that age. Cody Miller held the 100 and 200 breaststroke 15-16 NAG Record for 5 years. Milorad Cavic held the 15-16 100y fly record for 13 years.
There are a few infamous examples of kids that are super fast at 14, 15, 16 never really making it to that level, but it’s becoming more-and-more common for NAG Record breakers to… Read more »
This sentiment is probably more applicable to 9-10 NAGs. Kids that are breaking 15-16 NAGs are *already* doing internationally relevant “adult” times.
Dressel went :48 LC 100 free as a 16 yr old! He didn’t have to get that much faster to make an Olympic team (indeed, ~48.5 made Team USA in 2016). So the percentage of 15-16 NAG Record setters to have notable careers is probably quite high.
Well put Swimgeek.
If you were talking about 9-10 or 11-12 year olds I’d say you have a point but Alex is 16 and already at the cusp and Gretchen seems to be exploding at the perfect time, she wasn’t breaking records at 12.
Gretchen Walsh broke a NAG Record in the 50 free as an 11-12. She broke Lia Neal’s record. Missy Franklin was only .03 behind Lia Neal’s NAG Record in 2008 in that same 50 free.
Lia Neal is still the fastest 9-10 50 freestyler (tied with Zoe Skirboll) of all-time. At one point, Ella Eastin was the 2nd-fastest 10 & under, and until very recently she was an American Record holder.
Ella Eastin and Regan Smith (2017 Worlds team member) both held 10 & under NAG Records in the 100 SCY fly. Eastin still holds the 100 IM. Regan Smith and Elizabeth Beisel both held the 10 & under 100 SCY back NAG Record. Santo Condorelli held a 10 &… Read more »
Well said. As a coach, I know that the best way to get my kids to swim faster when they’re older is to make them slower when they are younger. My club could have broken 10+ NAG records by now, but I’m very good at pinpointing when a swimmer of mine is about to break out and then drastically changing their technique to something slower and less natural until they age up. Our motto is to avoid NAGs at all costs.
The parents hate me for it now, but they’ll be grateful years down the road when their child goes from a mediocre age group swimmer to a decidedly average high schooler.
I was a very mediocre age group swimmers and decidedly average high school swimmer for my day and age. My best 100 yard breaststroke was before my 15th birthday and I almost swim a time as fast as an 18 year old. I don’t think you have to stop swimmers progress. I knew girls that swam 36 50 yard breaststrokes in 1969 at 12 years old which is similar to swimming 32 or 33 yard breaststrokes at 12 now, One girl went to the Olympic trials in 1972 and other girl just swam high school and novice swimming.
Yes but if you go too fast too young, you use up your natural speed and get stuck in an adulthood of lethargy
The kids are alright…they are faster than kids were 50 years ago; they are the future, and the future looks pretty good!
Amanda Beard set the American Record and won Silver in both the 100 & 200 BR at the 1996 Olympics. She had a long career competing all the way up to the 2012 Trials.
Australia has the Campbell sisters, America has the Walsh sisters
Waiting for the day when the Campbell and Walsh sisters line up for a 50 free shootout.
Maybe the 2019 WCs or Tokyo 2020.
Wow these Walsh girls are crazy fast!!
Somebody introduce them to the Foster boys!
oh yeah – those 2 swimming families promise a lot