Erika Pelaez, Kaii Winkler Post Backstroke PBs to Close Out Plantation Winter Championships

33RD ANNUAL WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS – PLANTATION, FLORIDA

• December 7-10, 2023
• Plantation Aquatic Complex, Plantation, Florida
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile – 33rd Annual Winter Championships

Erika Pelaez and Kaii Winkler, a pair of 17-year-old Eagle Aquatics teammates headed to NC State together next fall, wrapped up the 33rd annual Plantation Winter Championships in Florida this past weekend with best times in backstroke events.

Pelaez clocked a huge lifetime best in the 200 back with a winning time of 1:51.54, dropping nearly four seconds off her previous-best 1:55.12 from March of 2021. The time would have placed 4th at the 2023 ACC Championships last season.

Pelaez also hit new personal bests in the 100 back (51.12) and 200 free (1:44.91), moving up to 21st and 75th, respectively, in the U.S. girls’ 17-18 national age group (NAG) rankings. Her 100 back would have placed 2nd at ACCs last season and her 200 free would have placed 6th at ACCs last season. Pelaez showed off her versatility by adding a a personal-best 50 breast time of 28.30, shaving more than a second off her previous-best 29.91 from 2021. Earlier in the meet, she recorded wins in the 50 free (@2.29) and 100 fly (52.05), the latter marking a new lifetime best.

Winkler joined in on the backstroke PBs with a best time in the 100 back (47.69) on Saturday, knocking a couple tenths off his previous best from March. He triumphed in the 100 free (42.24) on Saturday as well, not far off his personal-best 41.96 from March. On Sunday, Winkler threw down a 200 free time of 1:32.86, narrowly missing his personal-best 1:32.68 from last month. Earlier in the meet, he tallied wins in the 50 free (20.03) and 100 fly (45.98), the latter marking a new lifetime best.

Eagle Aquatics 17-year-old Gio Musiello placed 1st in the 400 IM with a personal-best 4:23.88, taking more than a second off her previous-best 4:25.32 from last December. She also placed 2nd in the 200 free (1:52.05) and 200 back (2:01.97) behind Pelaez.

Saint Andrew’s Aquatics 18-year-old Diego Balbi notched wins in the 400 IM (3:57.63) and 200 fly (1:46.55), the former in a new lifetime best. The USC commit dropped more than four seconds off her previous-best 400 IM time of 4:02.11 from last December.

Balbi’s Saint Andrew’s Aquatics teammate, Aspen Gersper, led the 50 fly field with a time of 24.51, just off the Virginia commit‘s personal-best 24.26 from March.

Other Big Swims from Saturday and Sunday:

• Westchester Aquatic Club 15-year-old Alba Arnall placed 1st in the 200 fly with a personal-best 2:01.46, dropping more than two seconds off her previous-best 2:03.93 from February.
• North Palm Beach Swim Club 14-year-old Tessa Broedell registered a new lifetime best in the 100 breast (1:04.43), shaving a few hundredths off her previous-best 1:04.46 from the  FHSAA Class 4A State Championships last month, where she placed 8th as a freshman.
• Aruba Dolphins 17-year-old Braynsly Dirksz triumphed in both the 100 breast (55.26) and 200 breast (2:02.78), both in personal-best times. The South Carolina commit dropped nearly two seconds in both events.
• Azura Florida Aquatics 18-year-old Jamarr Bruno swept the distance freestyle events with a pair of unbelievable time drops. His 1650 free win in 15:36.22 dropped more than 25 seconds off his previous best and his 500 free win in 4:31.59 shaved more than 14 seconds off his previous best.