Douglass’s 52.81 in the 100 IM Highlights UVA Intrasquad

Blue v. Orange Intrasquad

• October 17, 2020
• Charlottesville, VA
• SCY
• Full Results

While we’re slowly starting to see some dual or tri meets happening, the majority of competition so far this college season has taken the form of team intrasquad meets. This past weekend, the UVA Cavaliers suited up for an intrasquad, and while we didn’t see any swims quite as fast as what we saw at the Texas Invite, swimmers still threw down some pretty fast times in (mostly) non-traditional events.

The meet started with a barnburner of a 200 mixed medley class relay, as each class put together its own squad, and all four teams finished within 0.67s of each other.  Women led off on three of the four teams, and all three women touched between 24.24 and 24.27, a time that’d be competitive at NCAAs. Keefer Barnum had a strong 23.75 split on the breaststroke for the seniors, who ultimately won in 1:31.91. All three women who swam fly split between 23.72 and 23.85, while sophomore August Lamb had the fastest free split in the field with a 19.37.

On the women’s side, sophomore Kate Douglass, still only 18, recorded four individual victories. First she won the 150 fly in 1:22.61, going out in 25.01 and then splitting 28.86 and 28.74 to run down Abby Harter, who finished just behind her in 1:22.80. Next, after only apparently having the men’s 150 fly to rest, Douglass threw down a 22.06 to win the 50 free. That’s her 5th-fastest time ever, and only half a second off of her lifetime best from last November.

After a bit more of a break, Douglass then won the 50 fly in 23.80, before wrapping up her day with a 52.81 in the 100 IM. USA Swimming doesn’t keep official records for the 100 IM, but no one else appears to have ever gone under 53, and her time was just a bit off of the 52.48 she recorded last month to become (unofficially) the fastest women ever in the event.

Distance ace Paige Madden, swimming for Orange, also won four individual events. She kicked off the day with a 5:43.61 in what meet results call the 800 free, but seems to have been a 600 free. She then came back just one event later to win the 150 free in 1:16.20, and then added victories in the 150 back (1:22.79) and 300 free (2:42.83) later in the session.

Other event winners:

• 300 IM – Alex Walsh (Orange) – 3:02.27
• 50 back – Caroline Gmelich (Orange) – 24.65
• 50 breast – Alexis Wenger (Blue) – 27.91
• 150 Breast – Anna Keating (Blue) – 1:36.14

On the men’s side, the orange team won despite blue team reeling in three doubles. Sean Conway was the only double champion for orange with wins of 2:48.62 and 49.37 in the 300 and 100 IM events.

Blue’s aforementioned doubles came from Jack Wright (5:23.44 and 2:35.41 in the 600/300 freestyles), Keefer Barnum (24.64/1:23.80 in the 50/150 breast), and Justin Grender (22.21/1:15.35). Grender also led off the Class of 2022’s medley relay in 22.13, and that kind of early season speed may make him the early frontrunner to take over backstroke duties on the medley relays this season. Max Edwards was the only other individual winner for Blue, taking the 50 fly in 21.65.

Orange got another three individual victories from Sam Schilling (1:10.75 in the 150 free), Josh Fong with a 1:17.28 in the 150 fly, and Matt Brownstead in the 50 free (19.72), along with Jack Walker tying Wright in the 300 free.