Buckle up, folks. Though the major meets around the world of the past few weeks have come to an end, we still have a whole lot going on domestically here in the United States. This week will feature seven, yes, seven, Speedo Sectionals around the country. The sites for this week’s Sectionals are as follows:
- Columbia, MO
- Greensboro, NC
- Roseville, CA
- Boise, ID
- Fullerton, CA
- Columbus, OH
- Des Moines, IA
Below, you’ll find the meet info, relevant links, and a very brief preview for each of the Sectionals this week. We’ll be doing daily recaps of all of these meets, of course, but if you’re planning on following multiple meets on your own time, it may be a good idea to bookmark this page, so you have all the links in one place.
2023 REGION VIII SUMMER SECTIONALS – COLUMBIA
- July 12-15, 2023
- Mizzou Aquatics Center, Columbia, MO
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results on MeetMobile
- “2023 Region VIII Speedo Summer Sectionals”
The Speedo Sectional in Columbia, MO this week is the only of the seven meets to start on Wednesday. Taking place at the University of Missouri, the meet features a number of Mizzou swimmers, as well as swimmers from a number of universities in the surrounding states.
One of the club swimmers to keep an eye on is 17-year-old sprinter Avery Karl out of Empire KC Swim Club. Karl, a top sprint recruit in the girls high school class of 2024, won the 50 free (22.11), 50 fly (24.04), 100 free (49.16), and 100 fly (53.63) at the Spring Sectionals meet in Columbia in March of this year, which was a yards meet. With a history of swimming fast in this pool, Karl comes into this Sectional as the top seed in the women’s 50 free. She’s also the 3rd seed in the 100 free, and highly seeded in the 50 fly, 100 fly, 50 back, and 100 back.
Another swimmer to watch out for is Mizzou post-grad Jack Dahlgren. Representing Team Triumph, Dahlgren is less than two weeks removed from a highly successful outing at the U.S. National Championships. In Indy, Dahlgren notched a 6th place finish in the men’s 200 fly (1:56.24), 12th place in the 200 free (1:47.25), and 16th place in the 100 fly (52.97). He also competed in the 100 back and 50 free. Dahlgren is only entered in the men’s 100 fly this week in Columbia.
2023 ESSZ SUMMER LONG COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS – GREENSBORO
- July 13-16, 2023
- Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (not up yet)
As usual, there will be a Sectional at the Greensboro Aquatic Center this week as well. Though Greensboro is typically a popular destination for swim meets, this Sectional is a little bit on the smaller side this summer. For example, the 100 free, which is usually among the most popular events at any meet, only has 53 entrants on the women’s side, and only 48 men. The women’s 1500 free only has 6 swimmers entered.
Despite the meet being a little more lean than usual, there are plenty of elite swimmers to follow. Louisville is sending a huge portion of their team to the meet, and swimmers from other universities in the area have groups there as well. Among the Louisville swimmers in NCAA star Gabi Albiero. The sprint-oriented Albiero performed very well at U.S. Nationals just two weeks ago. She came in 7th in the women’s 50 free (24.76), 8th in the 100 fly (58.64), 11th in the 50 fly (26.66), and 12th in the 100 free (54.49). This week in Greensboro, Albiero is the top seed in the women’s 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly. She’s also entered in the 200 free and 200 fly, which should be very interesting races to watch her in.
Canadian star swimmer Tess Cieplucha is also entered in Greensboro. Cieplucha comes in as the top seed in the women’s 200 IM and 400 IM by wide margins in both. She’s also the 2nd seed in the women’s 100 breast.
2023 SUMMER CA-NV SECTIONAL – ROSEVILLE
- July 13-16, 2023
- Roseville Aquatics Complex, Roseville, CA
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (not up yet)
The Sectional in Roseville is one of two Sectionals in California this week. The meet features many teams from the nearby LSCs, including swimmers from Cal and Stanford.
DART Swimming’s Mikayla Tan, one of the fastest age group girls breaststrokers in USA Swimming history, is set to be in attendance. Tan, 13, is the top seed in the women’s 200 breast this week, as well as the 4th seed in the 100 breast. She’s also the 2nd seed in the 400 IM.
On the opposite end of things, veteran breaststroker Brandon Fischer, 34, is set to race this week as well. Fischer comes in as the top seed in both the men’s 100 and 200 breaststrokes.
Also of note, star American butterflier Luca Urlando, who grew up competing for DART, is entered in the meet. Urlando, a Georgia Bulldog, underwent shoulder surgery at the end of last year and sat out the remainder of the NCAA season. Though he sat out of U.S. Nationals this summer, Urlando did return to racing in early June. He also just recently competed at the CC CLOV Arena Grand Challenge, where he swam a 53.18 100 fly, 1:48.15 200 free, 3:53.60 400 free, and split 49.23 in the 100 free on a relay. Urlando is entered in his top event, the 200 fly, this week in Roseville, where he is the top seed. He’s also the top seed in the men’s 100 fly, 200 free, and 400 free.
2023 LC SPEEDO SECTIONALS – BOISE
- July 13-16, 2023
- Idaho Central Aquatic Center, Boise, ID
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (not up yet)
The Speedo Sectional in Boise this week features a number of teams from the Pacific Northwest, including the metro Seattle-based King Aquatic Club. There are also a number of teams from Arizona, as well as Colorado.
Swim Neptune 18-year-old and Cal commit Keaton Jones is one of the headliners for this meet. Jones is coming off a terrific showing at U.S. Nationals within the last two weeks, wherein he clocked a 6th place finish in the men’s 200 back with a 1:56.93. Though he’s only 18, Jones enters this Sectional as the top seed in the men’s 100 free, 200 free, and 200 back. He’s also the 2nd seed in the men’s 100 fly, 100 back, and 200 fly.
Spokane Waves Aquatic Team 17-year-old Michael Hochwalt is another swimmer to keep an eye on in Boise. A top recruit in the boys high school class of 2024, Hochwalt enters this Sectional as the top seed in the men’s 200 fly, 200 IM, and 400 IM. He’s also very highly seeded in the 100 back, 200 back, and 100 fly.
2023 CA/NV SPEEDO SECTIONALS – FULLERTON
- July 13-16, 2023
- Janet Evans Swim Complex, Fullerton, CA
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (not up yet)
The Fullerton Sectional is the other of two Sectionals hosted in California this week. Hosted at the Janet Evans Swim Complex, the Fullerton Sectional features quite a few Southern California clubs, but has one interesting visitor. Scarlet Aquatics, based out of New Jersey, has made the trip to California with a pretty large squad. The addition of Scarlet Aquatics makes this Sectional even faster than it would be without them. It does beg the question, however, of whether this means Scarlet Aquatics will be sending swimmers to Summer Junior Nationals in 2.5 weeks or not. Summer Juniors is in Irvine, CA as usual, so that would require two cross-country trips in a matter of three weeks for Scarlet to attend that meet as well.
Anyway, no need to wax on about that any longer. Let’s look into some of the swimmers at this Sectional. Rising Cal sophomore Matthew Chai is one of the top men’s swimmers in this meet. A distance-oriented swimmer, Chai is the top seed in the men’s 400 free, 800 free, and 1500 free. Moreover, Chai is the top seed by huge margins in all three events.
There’s an interesting note in here as well. Paige Kuwata, a rising Louisville sophomore, is entered in this meet as a member of host team Fullerton Aquatic Sports Team (FAST). That’s worth noting because Kuwata grew up swimming for another Southern California LSC club, the Sandpipers of Nevada based in Las Vegas. Kuwata is the top seed in the women’s 1500 this week in Fullerton.
2023 OH CZ EAST SPEEDO SECTIONALS – COLUMBUS
- July 13-16, 2023
- McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Columbus, OH
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (not up yet)
- Live Stream
The Sectional at Ohio State’s McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion has attracted many club and college teams from the surrounding area. Of course, there are quite a few Ohio State swimmers entered in the meet, but swimmers from Akron, Oakland, and Michigan are also on the psych sheet.
Of note, Ohio State’s Charlie Clark is entered in this meet. I suspect he won’t be racing in Columbus this week, however, as he was named to USA Swimming’s World Championships roster, and therefore, should be in Singapore at the Team USA camp right now.
Ohio State sprint star Amy Fulmer is entered in the meet and looks poised to run roughshod over the women’s sprint events. Fulmer enters the meet as the top seed in the women’s 50 free (24.86), 100 free (54.57), 200 free (2:01.78), and 50 fly (28.94).
Dublin Community Swim Team 16-year-old Emily Brown is another swimmer to keep a close eye on. Despite her youth, Brown is entered as one of the top women’s swimmers in the meet. She’s the top seed in the women’s 400 IM (4:48.93) and 200 IM (2:14.93), and is seeded highly in the 200 back, 50 free, 200 free, 100 back, 400 free, and 200 fly as well.
2023 CENTRAL ZONE NORTH SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS – DES MOINES
- July 13-16, 2023
- Wellmark YMCA, Des Moines, IA
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (not up yet)
- Live Stream
Our final Sectional on this list is also in the Midwest. The Wellmark YMCA in Des Moines, IA will host this meet. As has been the case with each of the other Sectional sites this week, the Des Moines Sectional has attracted a healthy amount of both club and college teams. As for the college teams in attendance, Wisconsin has a large group on the psych sheet, while Iowa, Illinois, and Iowa State are also in attendance.
Elmbrook Swim Club 18-year-old Reese Tiltmann is a swimmer to watch at this meet. Tiltmann, an Indiana recruit, is highly seeded in all five of her events, which includes a #1 seed in the women’s 400 IM, where she is seeded first by 10 seconds with a 4:48.21. Tiltmann is also entered in the 200 IM, 400 free, 100 breast, and 200 breast.
The whole Elmbrook Swim Club squad is entered in this meet, including 17-year-old Lucy Thomas. A rising breaststroke star, Thomas is the top seed in the women’s 100 breast at this meet by a huge margin, coming in with a 1:07.63.
Michael Hochwalt achieved his Olympic Trials cut in the 200 IM at Boise Sectionals tonight.
Why do the sectional meets each have different time standards? I thought there was only one set of sectional times (per Swimmetry)
They have different standards. The only guidelines USA Swimming provides is a “fastest possible standard.”
Swimmers dive in deep,
Speedo Sectionals commence,
Records in their wake.
Good to see Luca back- some solid swims, especially coming back from the surgery. do we think he will also go to TYR Pro Champs in Irvine in a few weeks?
Also, word on the street is that he is staying at ASU and redshirting this upcoming college season…which means he would have 3 years left at Georgia- a year for covid, a year for the injury this year, and this upcoming year.
Is he allowed to take an Olympic redshirt and an injury redshirt and not lose a year of eligibility?
Does anyone know why there are two CA/NV sectionals? Hasn’t there traditionally just been one in the past?
I know SCY they have a December one and a March one now, but I can’t remember there being multiple LCM ones, unless I’m mistaken.
They actually had 2 in March as well.
Prior to Covid their was only one, but they decided to split it up the meets to reduce numbers post Covid. I think people liked not having to drive 7 hours to the other side of California so they kept it out of convenience.
The Greensboro meet will be live streamed on Greensboro Aquatic Center’s Facebook page, as with all GAC-hosted meets, unless USA Swimming has a hold on that with it being a sectional-level meet.