2021 Mark J. Braun Fall Classic
- November 19-21, 2021
- Spire Institute Aquatic Center, Geneva, Ohio
- Short Course Yards (SCY)
- Results on MeetMobile: “The 2021 Mark J. Braun Fall Classic”
The Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio played host to the Mark J. Braun Classic over the weekend, welcoming some of the top swimmers in the midwest to the facility. The meet itself was huge, with over 800 athletes and more than 50 teams in attendance. Highlighting the event was a pair of SwimSwam’s Top-20 men from the class of 2023, Jonny Marshall and Scotty Buff. Both men are committed to join the Florida Gators in two years.
The pair repeatedly faced off against each other, most notably in the 100 and 200 backstrokes. The duo finished with the top two times in each of those races, with just .05 separating the two in the 100. In that race, Buff went out fast, flipping at the 50 at 22.88. Marshall came back over the back half after taking the event out in 23.13, splitting 24.50 to win the event in a time of 47.63. Buff was just behind in 47.68. Both boys were a few tenths off of their lifetime bests in the race, with Marshall having been 47.41 and Buff’s best being 47.48.
Marshall again took the win over Buff later in the meet in the 200 back. The duo’s second backstroke faceoff was slightly less close, with Marshall running away with the event in a time of 1:46.78 to Buff’s 1:49.51. That swim was a new best for Marshall in the event.
While Buff wasn’t able to win either of the backstroke events, he did take gold in the 100 fly and 50 free. In the fly, he finished in 47.25 while the 50 saw him stop the clock at 20.20. His time in the 50 marks a new lifetime best, shaving .04 off of his time in the event from earlier this fall.
Outside of the pair’s dominant showing in the backstroke races, Haihan Xu doubled up in the breaststroke events, as well as taking the top spot in the 400 IM. Representing Seneca Valley Swim Club, Xu cleared the field by over five full seconds in the IM, touching in a lifetime best of 4:02.13. Both of his breaststroke performances were also best times, with his time of 56.41 in the 100 being his first time under 57.0. He touched in 2:03.69 in the 200.
Other Notable Performances
- Lexi Sundgren took the top spot in both the 100 and 200 freestyles. The 16-year old from Allegheny North Swim Club touched in 51.59 in the 100 and 1:50.59 in the 200.
- 12-year old Livia Cremer dominated her age group, winning seven events across the weekend. Those wins included the 200 IM (2:14.47), 200 fly (2:20.28), and 200 back (2:11.91).
- Like Cremer for the 11-12 girls, it was Christian Dantey who picked up numerous wins in the 13-14 boys age group. Dantey won five events during the weekend while representing the Fox Chapel Killer Whales.
Go Gators!