2023 December Huntington Beach Sectionals
- December 14-18, 2023
- Huntington Beach, CA
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Mobile: 2023 CA Dec CA CV Speedo Sectionals at GWSC
Some of the top swimmers on the West Coast are competing in December Sectionals in Huntington Beach, California this weekend. Not one but two swimmers set National Age Group Records on night 1 as Luka Mijatovic broke his own 1000 and 1650 13-14 NAG records and Luke Ellis set a new 17-18 1650 NAG.
Highlighting the rest of the night was Claire Weinstein who swam a 9:17.85 in the girls 1000 freestyle, winning the event by over 40 seconds. That was a best time by over seven seconds as her previous best stood at a 9:25.06 from this meet a year ago.
This year, Weinstein held 28-lows compared to 28-mids from a year ago. In addition, she closed much stronger as she split sub-28 for the final 200 yards where last year she closed in a sub-28 split only on her final 50.
Weinstein already sat at #2 all-time in the 15-16 age group with her swim from a year ago. Katie Ledecky holds the NAG record as she swam a 9:14.22 at 2013 Winter Nationals.
If Weinstein were in the 17-18 age group, her time from tonight would sit her at #4 all-time, only behind Ledecky, Katie Anderson (Hoff) , and Erica Sullivan.
In addition to the 13-14 and 17-18 1650 free NAGs, 16 year old Gabriel Manteufel swam a 14:41.11 to become the #2 15-16 all-time. Manteufel dropped over 38 seconds from his best time. The NAG record stands at a 14:37.86 which Liam Custer swam back in 2020.
Weinstein also helped the Sandpipers of Nevada girls 800 free relay to a win. Weinstein anchored in a 1:42.29, a big swim as her flat start best time of a 1:43.93 (she is entered in the individual event for tomorrow). Notably, Katie Grimes led the relay off in a 1:42.90, a personal best time as her previous best was a 1:43.23 from November 2021. The girls swam to a final time of 7:00.01, winning by over 20 seconds. Rebecca Diaconescu and Applejean Gwinn swam the middle two legs of the relay.
In the boys 800 free relay, Luke Ellis had the fastest split with a 1:36.76 helping the Sandpipers ‘A’ relay to a win in a final time of a 6:37.10. That relay also consisted of Dillon Wright, Giovanni Sullo, and Joshua Brown.
Coming that close to a Ledecky record in the 1000 is impressive.
Under-the-radar swim given the speed from Weinstein, Ellis, and Mijatovic, but Gabriel Manteufel (16 y/o from Sandpipers) dropping 38 seconds to go 14:41 and come within 4 seconds of the 15-16 NAG is incredible. One of the fastest miles for a high schooler ever, as a sophomore.
Whoa, WHAT!? That’s crazy
How did that not get mentioned in the article with Luke Ellis?! Sandpipers took 6 of the top 8 spots with 3 of them under 15 minutes…disgusting
The boys miles at this meet were absurd, too 4 would’ve scored at ncaas with one of those times being second
What were the other two times?
They’re probably permanently tapered since everything is easier than open water