Eric Lee, Chloe Kim & Reid O’Connell Shine At LIAC Thanksgiving Invite

2022 LIAC Thanksgiving Invitational

  • November 18-20, 2022
  • East Meadow, N.Y.
  • SCY (25 yards)
  • Results on Meet Mobile: “MR 2022 LIAC Thanksgiving Invitational”

Age group swimmers from around the Tri-state area converged last weekend to take part in the Long Island Aquatic Club’s Thanksgiving Invitational in East Meadow, N.Y., and there were several high-level performances produced.

Scarlet Aquatics had an excellent showing, highlighted by Eric LeeRichard Poplawski and Chloe Kim.

Lee, 16, went on a tear, setting new personal best times in the 100 back (49.11), 100 breast (56.09), 100 fly (49.64), 200 fly (1:47.49) and 400 IM (3:49.91).

Lee’s time in the 400 IM moved him into a tie for 37th all-time in the boys’ 15-16 age group, dipping under his previous best of 3:50.02, and ranks him first in the age group this season.

Poplawski, also 16, took second in a lifetime best of 3:51.34, which ranks second for 15-16 boys this season and 62nd all-time.

Lee also moved into 100th in age group history with his 200 fly performance, which marked his first time under the 1:50 barrier.

Poplawski added notable personal bests in the 200 IM (1:47.87) and 100 back (49.61), ranking him fourth and 13th in the age group this season, respectively.

Kim put up four personal best times, highlighted by a 1:49.33 effort in the 200 free that ranks her fourth among 15-year-old girls in the U.S. this season.

The 400 IM champion in long course meters at the Speedo Junior National Championships this past August, Kim also clocked 4:13.58 in the yards version of the event, just shy of her personal best of 4:13.13 set last season. She now ranks first in the country this season among 15-year-old girls by more than two seconds.

Kim also neared her best time with a 2:01.65 showing in the 200 IM, and added PBs in the 100 back (56.78), 100 fly (55.66) and 200 fly (2:02.39).

Highlighting the LIAC swimmers was 13-year-old Reid O’Connell, who made an impact in the boys’ 11-12 age group over the last two years.

O’Connell established new bests in the 200 back (1:54.62), 100 breast (1:00.77), 200 breast (2:12.35), 100 fly (53.50) and 200 fly (1:58.71) while nearing his best of 53.39 in the 100 back (53.80).

The 200 back effort ranks him 57th all-time among 13-year-old boys and second in 2022-23, while he also moved into the top eight in all of the other events for the season.

Another LIAC standout was 10-year-old Ryan Yao, who set five best times, including clocking 1:04.47 in the 100 IM which ranks him second this season among 10 & under boys.

Badger Swim Club’s Alexa Reyna was also strong at the meet, establishing personal bests in the 100 free (51.21) and 200 free (1:48.59), the latter of which ranks ninth this season among 17-year-old girls.

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Brown
1 year ago

Junior national champ Sean Green also went a 54 in the 100 free

dead bird
Reply to  Brown
1 year ago

Gotta let someone else win for a change. Good guy Sean.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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