2021 USA SWIMMING FUTURES CHAMPIONSHIPS – HUNTSVILLE
- July 28-August 1, 2021
- Huntsville Aquatic Center, Huntsville, Alabama
- Prelims/Finals
- 50 meters (LCM)
- Psych Sheet
- Results on MeetMobile: “2021 Futures Championships – Huntsville”
On the third day of the Futures meet being held in Huntsville, Alabama athletes competed in the 400 free, 100 fly, and 200 breast.
Hannah Bellard kicked off the finals session with a runaway win in the women’s 400 free. The 16-year old out of Club Wolverine topped Charlotte Hook (4:18.66) and Micayla Cronk (4:18.87) by over six seconds with a huge lifetime best of 4:12.61. That swim enters Bellard into USA Swimmings all-time top-100 for the 15-16 age group, with her time now ranking her as the 47th fastest performer.
Bellard has seen rapid improvement over the past two years. Just two years ago, her fastest performance in the race had been a 4:23.68. After lowering her best to 4:20.03 earlier this year, she has now lowered her time even more.
The men’s 400 free was much closer, with Nick Caruso edging out Lance Norris for the top spot. The Gator Swim Club member and future member of the Kentucky Wildcats stopped the clock in 3:54.56.
After winning the 400 free, Bellard attempted to pick up her second win of the day was forced to settle for second as Gretchen Walsh came away with the win in the 100 fly. Walsh was a bit off of her 58.46 that earned her 12th in the semifinals of the Olympic Trials, as she finished in 59.00. In the all-time top-100 rankings, Walsh’s lifetime best of 57.43 ties her for the fourth-fastest performer in the event all-time with Kate Douglas, her future teammate at Virginia.
Dynamo Swim Club’s Owen McDonald had the fastest time in the men’s race, stopping the clock at 54.55. That swim takes nearly a second off his previous lifetime best of 55.36 in the event from earlier this year.
Dynamo picked up it’s second win for the day when Alicia Henry topped teammate Ainsley Jones in the 200 breast. Slightly slower than her best in the race, Henry finished in 2:32.21.
Will Heck closed out the individual races for the day as the 16-year old won the 200 breast in 2:16.46. The 16-year old took over a second off his previous best with that swim, with his time being good enough to have qualified him for Wave I of Olympic Trials earlier this summer. He also moves up the all-time top-100 for the 15-16 age group, jumping from 50th to 22nd.
