Disclaimer: Dolfin Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Dolfin Swim is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn’t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.
14-year-old Sandpiper of Nevada Katie Grimes had an incredible 400 IM last week, moving to #3 all-time in the 13-14 age group.
Grimes went 4:09.27, moving to within a second of a 16-year-old National Age Group record. That record is held by an age group legend: Katie Hoff, who made the U.S. Olympic team at age 15 and ultimately won three Olympic medals and seven World Championships golds in her career.
The swim for Grimes was a massive time drop. Her previous best time had been a 4:14.67, set as a 13-year-old in December of 2019. Coming out of a pandemic-restricted summer, Grimes crushed more than five seconds off her best time. She leapfrogged a number of really notable names in the all-time 13-14 ranks with that swim:
Top 400y IMers all-time, USA Swimming 13-14 ranks
- Katie Hoff (2004) – 4:08.44
- Grace Sheble (2017) – 4:09.00
- Katie Grimes (2020) – 4:09.27
- Becca Mann (2012) – 4:10.29
- Charlotte Hook (2018) – 4:11.00
- Ella Eastin (2011) – 4:11.61
- Courtney Harnish (2014) – 4:11.93
- Jessica Kennedy [Schmitt] (2006) – 4:12.31
- Brooke Zettel (2018) – 4:12.39
- Lucy Bell (2019) – 4:12.42
A few other names further back on that list: Missy Franklin (12th – 4:12.83), Mariah Denigan (17th – 4:13.72), Taylor Ruck (19th – 4:13.96), Natalie Coughlin (21st – 4:14.08), Ella Nelson (22nd – 4:14.28), Maya DiRado (23rd – 4:14.47), Ariana Kukors (26th – 4:14.94), and Regan Smith (34th – 4:15.80).
About Dolfin Swimwear
Dolfin Swimwear represents quality and value. We are committed to supplying our customers with a durable swim suit and an affordable price. We also will continue to be the innovaters for fun and unique practice/training suits which gives swimmers something to smile about…even during grueling workouts.
About Dolfin’s Tech Suit LightStrike
LightStrikeTM was developed after years of research in biomechanics, active drag analysis, fabric innovation, and compression analysis. This new FINA approved suit is supported by Dr. Genadijus Sokolovas, PhD in Biomechanics and former Performance Director with USA Swimming and Styku® 3D Biomapping Engineering.
Visit Dolfin to learn more.
Instagram @DolfinSwimwear
Twitter: @DolfinSwim
Facebook: DolfinSwimwear
Dolfin is a SwimSwam partner.
