2021 Summer Southern Sectionals
- July 22-25, 2021
- Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center, Austin, Texas
- Long Course Meters (LCM)
- Results on MeetMobile: “2021 ST TXLA Speedo Southern Sectionals”
On the second weekend of USA Swimming’s Sectional meets, the Southern Sectional kicked off in Austin, Texas at the University of Texas’ pool. The first day of racing saw athletes compete in the 200 back, 100 breast, 200 fly, and 100 free.
While the entire first day of competition was dominated by collegiate and postgrad athletes, arguably the biggest swim came from Daniel Krueger, a rising senior at the University of Texas. Swimming alongside teammate Maxime Rooney, Krueger swam to a lifetime best finish in the 100 free, touching the wall in 48.46. That time takes nearly a tenth of a second off of his previous best in the event, a 48.55 from 2019 Summer Nationals.
As well as being a lifetime best in the event, Krueger’s time was also significantly faster than his 49.24 that earned him 18th at Wave II of Olympic Trials earlier this year. His time from today would have moved him to 8th in prelims at that meet, and would have gotten 6th during the semi-finals. At the Sectional meet, he beat out two of the swimmers who finished ahead of him at Trials, topping Maxime Rooney (11th in semi-finals) and Brett Pinfold (7th in finals). He now ranks as the 9th fastest American in the event this year.
In the women’s 200 back, Kathryn Power of the University of Houston edged out Sandpipers of Nevada’s Abby Dunford to win the event. For Power, her time of 2:16.30 was a huge lifetime best in the event, as before the meet her best came from 2019, when she touched the wall in 2:24.46.
On the men’s side, it was Ethan Gogulski of Texas A&M who came away with the top time. His time of 1:58.90 took nearly three seconds off of his lifetime best and was over five seconds faster than his finish at Wave I of Olympic Trials. His time would have won Wave I of Trials by nearly a full second.
Also a current student-athlete at Texas A&M, Charlotte Longbottom came away with the win in the women’s 100 breast. Longbottom led the Aggie’s to a sweep of the podium, as she finished in 1:09.98, followed by Alaya Smith (1:10.16) and Emme Nelson (1:12.79).
Braden Vines topped the field in the men’s 100 breast, holding off a pair of Aggies in Vincent Ribeiro and Kaloyan Bratanov. Vines touched in 1:02.28.
Emma Sticklen, a finalist in the 200 fly at the 2021 NCAA Championships, claimed the top spot in the event today. Racing alongside teammate Olivia Bray, Sticklen took over two seconds off of her previous lifetime best in the event, touching in 2:10.03. Her old best, a 2:12.58, came from Wave I of Olympic Trials earlier this year.
The lone club swimmer to win an event on the first day of racing, Cooper Lucas came away with the win in the men’s 200 fly. Representing Lakeside Aquatic Club, the 16-year old cruised to an easy win in the race, beating runner-up Antonio Romero by over two seconds. Lucas’ time of 1:59.74 also topped his previous best in the race, a 2:00.89.
Kelly Pash rounded out the women’s races for the day, winning the 100 free. A junior at Texas, Pash won in 55.84. Pash was slightly off of her lifetime best, a 55.26 from the Longhorn Aquatics Elite Invite earlier this year.
Texas women?!?!?