Ava DiPasquale and Joey Eaddy Win Junior 3K Knockout at 2026 Open Water Nationals

2026 Open Water National and Junior National Championships

• Thursday, April 2 – Saturday, April 4
• Sarasota, Florida
• Nathan Benderson Park
• Open Water
• Meet Central
• Start List
• Full Results
• SwimSwam Preview
• Recaps:
  • Men’s 10K | Women’s 10K | Junior 5Ks | Senior 3K knockouts | 5K Races

The final event of the 2026 Open Water National and Junior National Championships was the junior 3k races, and Ava DiPasquale and Joey Eaddy were the overall winners, taking the top spots in the final race.

Girls Recap

Top 8 Finishers

1. Ava DiPasquale (SRQ)
2. Clare Herfel (CLPR)
3. Liv Fleshman (TAC)
4. Kate Warren (SAND)
5. Sam Gatesman (JW)
6. Ansley Bess (SPA)
7. Landyn Myers (SAND)
8. Grace Gannon (FAST)

Ava DiPasquale, a 14-year-old out of the Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team picked up her highest finish of the weekend in the 3k knockout, winning the 500 meter race.

In the opening 1500, DiPasquale finished 2nd in heat one, earning a spot in the 20 swimmer 1000-meter heat. She went on to finish 2nd in that event as well, coming in behind Sam Gatesman of the Jersey Wahoos.

She took the top time in the final 500, coming in ahead of Friday’s junior 5k champion Clare Herfel, who finished 2nd. DiPasquale was 34th in the 5k yesterday.

Herfel was 2nd in the 500. She was 3rd in the 1000 meter race and she was 3rd in the 1st heat of 1500 races.

TAC’s Liv Fleshman finished 3rd after touching 8th in the 1000 meter race and 2nd in heat two of the 1500 meter swim.

Vivie Murphy, from Barracuda Swim Club, won heat one of the 1500 and Gatesman, from the Jersey Wahoos, won heat two of the 1500.

Boys Recap

Top 8 Finishers

1. Joey Eaddy (REV)
2. Luke Dunn (SMAC)
3. Owen Miklos (NOVA)
4. Isaac Waks (VICT)
5. Lincoln Driesse (PSA)
6. Sawyer Hansen (SPA)
7. Lewis Bateman (SAND)
8. Charlie Russell (BSS)

Revolution Aquatics Club’s Joey Eaddy earned his 2nd win of the weekend, taking the top spot in the boys’ 500 meter race, the final swim of the junior knockout.

Eaddy won all three legs of the race, taking the top time in heat one of the 1500, and the top time in the 1000 meter race as well.

Luke Dunn from Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club won the silver medal. He finished 2nd in the 1000 race and 2nd in heat one of the 1500 as well, both behind Eaddy. Dunn swam the 10k earlier in the week, finishing 20th.

Nova of Virginia’s Owen Miklos finished 3rd behind Dunn after qualifying 5th from the 1000 meter race. He also finished 3rd in the 2nd heat of 1500 freestyles. Planet Swim’s Lincoln Driesse won that heat.