2024 Splashing Pumpkin Invitational
- October 26-27
- New Providence, New Jersey
- Short Course Yards (25 yards), timed finals
- Results on Meet Mobile
Duke commit Charlie Kulp went three best times while a high school sophomore Yehor Maistruk swam a 55-second 100 yard breaststroke last weekend at the 2024 Splashing Pumpkin Invitational in New Jersey.
Kulp, who swims with Life Time Metro in New Jersey, grabbed wins in the 100 free (46.26), 200 free (1:40.59), 500 free (4:24.76), and the 100 fly (50.01). His time in the 500 was a new personal best, clearing the 4:30 that he swam at Sectionals in March.
His younger brother Jack, a junior committed to Navy for 2026, was 2nd in that race in 4:41.06, which was not a best time for him, but he did go best times in six other races, including 1:56.85 in the 200 IM and 4:07.97 in the 400 IM.
Charlie Kulp was suited for his big drop in the 500 free, though he unsuited for the rest of his races. He also finished 2nd in the 200 breast (2:10.54) and 200 IM (1:56.52), both new personal bests.
In the breaststroke races, Yehor Maistruk of the Jersey Aquatic Center, a high school sophomore, turned heads in six races in his first-ever short course yards meet after relocating from Poland to New Jersey. That included wins in the 100 breast (55.84), 200 breast (2:02.65), and 200 IM (1:53.69).
Maistruk, 16, is staying with a host family for a year on a scholarship in the U.S., and is planning to enter the NCAA in fall 2027 – equivalent to a high school sophomore in eligibility. He has breaststroke bests of 1:04.54/2:24.58 in long course. He’s now the 2nd-best 16-year-old in the US this season in the 100 breast behind only Collin Holgerson (54.70).
In the girls’ side of the meet, Kulp’s teammate and training partner Sidney Arcella also swam a new lifetime best in the 500 free, winning the race in 4:53.78. That took about 13 seconds off her previous best time done in January 2023. Like Kulp, she will attend Duke next fall.
Arcella also won the 100 free (51.13) and 200 free (1:47.69), which are her primary events. The 500 free was an extension of her abilities up from her normal core races.
Other Meet Highlights
- Colin Michaud from Lifetime Metro finished 2nd in the 100 free in 46.99, just missing his personal best from July. He’s a high school sophomore.
- 10-year-old Misi Racek swam 1:05.33 in the 100 fly, 2:07.00 in the 200 free, and 27.21 in the 50 free. Those times rank him 2nd, 3rd, and 7th, respectively, in the U.S. this season for 10-year-olds.
- Julianne Roldan of the Clifton Seahawks won 7 races in her age group and broke the team record in the 100 breast in 1:20.13.
- Texas commit Sarah Rodrigues won the 100 back in 54.77 and the 200 back in 1:56.71.
- Kim Tran, a sophomore from Life Time Metro, won the 100 breast in 1:03.79 and the 200 breast in 2:20.47. Those were both close to personal bests for the 2024 Zones Champion in both races.
- Life Time Metro’s Ayah Bedri swam four personal bests, including a 2:09.40 to win the 200 fly.
