2025 Eastern Zone Age Group Championships
- Aug. 6-9, 2025
- Richmond, VA
- LCM
- Results
A 32-year-old Eastern Zone Age Group Championship meet record has been broken thanks to 12-year-old Daniel Bunge.
During the recent meet in Richmond, Virginia, Bunge clocked a blistering time of 4:18.14 in the 400 freestyle, breaking a record that had stood for 32 years, according to Virginia Swimming’s Instagram page.
Not only that, but Bunge’s time is now the best this season (long course) in the boys 11-12 age group and ranks 12th all-time.
Competing for the Virginia Swimming Team (Nova of Virginia Aquatics), Bunge didn’t just excel in the 400 free.
He swam personal bests to win the 50 free (25.82), 50 back (30.23) and 100 fly (1:01.52), and added wins in the 100 free (57.16), 200 free (2:03.24) and 200 IM (2:18.57).
In the boys 11-12 age group this season, Bunge is third in the 50 free (30th all-time), 100 fly (30th all-time), 100 free and 200 IM, second in the 200 free and eighth in the 50 back.
While Bunge was the headliner, he wasn’t the only swimmer to move up national rankings.
Other individual standouts were:
- Vanessa Delev, a 12-year-old from the Metropolitan Swimming Zone Team (Badger Swim Club), swam personal bests to win the 100 free (1:01.83), 200 free (2:12.45), 50 back (32.58), 200 back (2:27.53) and 200 IM (2:30.53) in the girls’ competition. In the girls 11-12 age group this season, Delev ranks ninth in the 200 back (2nd among 11-year-olds), 12th in the 200 IM (2nd among 11-year-olds) and 14th in the 200 free (1st among 11-year-olds).
- Abby Fang, an 11-year-old from the New Jersey Zone Team (Whitewaters Swimming), won the 100 fly in a personal best time of 1:08.42, and swam personal bests to finish 3rd in both the 200 IM (2:33.38) and 400 free (4:49.59). Among 11-year-olds this season, Fang is seventh in the 100 fly and 200 IM, and eighth in the 400 free.
- Ethan Han, a 14-year-old from the New Jersey Zone Team (Whitewaters Swimming), swam personal bests to win the 200 back (2:10.23) and 100 breast (1:06.60), and also added a victory in the 100 IM (2:10.50). In the 13-14 boys age group this season, he ranks eighth in the 200 back and 12th in the 100 breast.
- Emersyn Rogers, a 10-year-old from the Middle Atlantic Zone Team (Delaware Swim Team), won the 100 free (1:06.69), 200 free (2:26.67), 50 back (36.18), 50 breast (39.23), 100 breast (personal best 1:26.54), 50 fly (32.73) and 100 fly (personal best 1:13.81). In the 10 & under girls age group this season, she has the fourth-fastest time in the 50 breast and the 14th-fastest time in the 100 fly.
- Alex Kovtounenko, an 11-year-old from the Middle Atlantic Zone Team (Orca Swim Club), swam a personal best time of 2:24.38 to win the 200 fly. That time ranks him 10th in the boys 11-12 age group this season and first among 11-year-olds. He beat his previous personal best by 3.15 seconds.
Combined Team Standings — Top 5
- Middle Atlantic Zone Team, 994
- New Jersey Zone Team, 860
- Virginia Swimming Zone Team, 733
- Metropolitan Swimming Zone Team, 645.5
- Potomac Valley Zone Team, 502.5
Girls’ Team Standings — Top 5
- Middle Atlantic Zone Team, 597
- Virginia Swimming Zone Team, 387
- New Jersey Zone Team, 385
- Potomac Valley Zone Team, 265.5
- Metropolitan Swimming Zone Team, 251
Boys’ Team Standings — Top 5
- New Jersey Zone Team, 475
- Middle Atlantic Zone Team, 397
- Metropolitan Swimming Zone Team, 394.5
- Virginia Swimming Zone Team, 346
- Potomac Valley Zone Team, 237
