We saw the video of Brazil’s Cesar Cielo throwing down some major speed at the 2016 Phoenix Winter Invitational hosted by the Phoenix Swim Club, clocking a solid 43.12 100 yard freestyle. But, Cielo wasn’t the only athlete rocking the scoreboard at the event.
Teenage phenoms Taylor Ruck and Ryan Hoffer were among the mix of age group and pro athletes convening in Phoenix over the weekend, with the meet still having one more day of action to go.
Results Available on Meet Mobile (2016 Phoenix Winter Invitational)
Cielo was able to double up on his 100 free victory, claiming the splash n’ dash win in a time of 19.51. Although enough to hold off a charging Erik Risolvato, who stopped the clock at 19.86 for 2nd place in that 50 yard freestyle race, Cielo actually added almost two tenths to his prelims swim of 19.32 to stand atop the podium.
Coming in 3rd in that men’s 50 yard freestyle race was 17-year-old Hoffer, who touched in 19.87, after registering 20.56 in prelims. Hoffer chose to forego the 100 freestyle event, but did compete in prelims of the 200 IM, 200 back and 200 fly races during the meet.
In the 200 IM, Hoffer scored a 5th seed with a time of 1:54.80, a best time by just under a second. Another monster swim for Hoffer came in the form of his 200 back, where the Scottsdale Aquatic Club ace earned the 2nd-best time of his career, finishing 1st in 1:50.61. The only time Hoffer has been faster is when he clocked a 1:50.45 in February of last year at Arizona Senior States. Hoffer would scratch the final.
Hoffer wrapped up his competition with a 1:57.09 in the 200 fly for 11th out of prelims. Just the 7th time Hoffer has swum the event, his time sits as his 3rd-fastest among a range of 1:53.04 in February 2015 to 2:24.26 all the way back in 2011. Hoffer opted out of swimming the final.
For Ruck’s part, the 15-year-old established a new personal best in the 200 yard IM, finishing 1st in 1:59.26. That marks the first time the Scottsdale Aquatic Club swimmer dipped beneath the 2-minute threshold in the race, having previously owned a best time of 2:02.13 from 2014.
Ruck also took first in the women’s 100 freestyle, nailing the only sub-50 mark of the field 49.18. Although Ruck has been swifter, with the 48.54 she registered at 2014’s Junior Nationals, the time was enough to slide in as the 2nd-fastest of her young career.
Finally, Ruck swam the 200 breaststroke, placing in 17th out of prelims (2:27.51), while also touching as the top seed in the 50 freestyle. Her mark of 23.33 signified a best time for Ruck, just out-touching her 23.40 from this time last year. She would pass on competing in both finals.
