Gracie Weyant Breaks Pickrem’s LSC Record at Florida Age Group Championships

2020 FLORIDA SWIMMING AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS

FINAL TOP 5 TEAM SCORES – COMBINED

  1. Bolles School Sharks 2,227.5
  2. Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team 1,565.5
  3. Sarashota Sharks 1,510
  4. Laker Swim 1,074.5
  5. Patriot Aquatics 995
  6. Loggerhead Aquatics 978
  7. Gator Swim Club 871.5
  8. Southwest Stars 858
  9. Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club 736
  10. Planet Swim Aquatics 617

Florida teams gathered last weekend in Orlando for the 2020 spring Florida Age Group Championships. The meet featured the top age group swimmers from the Florida LSC. Bolles won the championship title with the most combined points. Sarasota Tsunami edged out the Sarasota Sharks for the runner-up spot.

10 & Under Highlights

Laker Swim’s 10-year-old Rylee Erisman took down an LSC Record in the 100 back as she was the 10 & under girls’ high point winner. She dropped nearly a second to win the race in 1:03.47, taking 2 hundredths off the 10-year-old record formerly set by Valerie Gruest. Her additional wins at the meet included the 50 free (26.53), 100 free (58.30), 200 free (2:07.60), 500 free (5:35.38), and 50 back (29.73).

Hydro4 Swimming’s Kai McMeeking, the high point winner, tied with Caleb Stuhlmacher (unattached) in the 50 free as they touched in 26.89. In the 100 free, McMeeking took the title in 59.14, while Stuhlmacher was 2nd in 59.82. Stuhlmacher won a gold of his own with a 1:08.24 in the 100 IM.

McMeeking went on the 200 free in 2:09.38. Taking 2nd there was Episcopal’s Zachary Zubero (2:11.46), son of Olympic Champion Martin Zubero. McMeeking swept the butterflies with a 29.50 in the 50 fly and a 1:06.82 in the 100 fly. In the 100 breast, Zubero swam to gold with a 1:16.65.

11-12 Highlights

Brooke Billitto of West Florida Lightning won the 11-12 girls high point award. Billitto swept the freestyle events, including a pair of big drops in the distance events. She dropped 10 seconds to win the 500 free in 5:12.52 and dropped 20 seconds to win the 1000 free in 10:46.27. Billitto also won the 50 free (25.31), 100 free (54.45), and 200 free (1:56.98).

CBTS’ Andrew Kravchenko set a pair of records. Kravchenko set a new LSC Record in the 100 free in 49.12, erasing the 2–year-old former mark set by Alex Forbes in 2000. In the 50 free, he took half a second off the Meet Record in 22.62. The former mark was set by Braeden Knight in 2015. That was just a tenth off the LSC Record set by Forbes in 2000.

Kravchenko also won the 200 free (1:48.04), 500 free (4:58.85), and 50 back (26.34). In the 50 back, he was about half a second shy of the record set by older brother Luca Kravchenko in 2013. He was within 3 tenths of the Meet Record posted by Olympic Champion Ryan Murphy in 2008.

Area Tallahassee’s Ethan Ekk, the high point runner-up, broke the 19-year-old 200 back meet record set by Clay Bullock in 2001. Ekk won the race in 2:01.24, lowering the mark by over a second. Ekk also won the 100 back (57.13) and 200 IM (2:06.06).

13-14 Girls Highlights

Sarasota Sharks’ Addison Sauickie and Gator Swim Club’s Lillie Nesty tied for the 50 free win. This meet marked the first time under 24 for both girls, as they hit the wall in 23.93. However, Sauickie had been slightly faster in prelims with a lifetime best 23.89. Nesty is the daughter of Olympic Champion and University of Florida men’s Head Coach Anthony Nesty.

Sauickie swept the sprints, racing to a lifetime best 51.27 in the 100 free. Behind her was Laker Swim’s Addison Reese, the high point runner-up, in 51.53. Nesty was 3rd there in 51.62. Sauickie also won the 200 back, dropping 4 seconds in 2:00.60. Reese was the 200 IM (2:03.97) and 100 fly champion (54.83) with a pair of best times.

Reese also took 2nd in the 200 fly with a personal best 2:00.83. Team Velocity’s Bella Answeeney, the high point winner, won the 200 fly as she broke 2:00 for the first time in 1:59.03. She also knocked 3 seconds off her 400 IM time to win in 4:25.99.

Teammate Gracie Weyant, younger sister of U.S. National Teamer Emma Weyant, set a new LSC Record in the 50 breast. Weyant broke 30 for the first time in 29.63, erasing the former record set by SEC Champion Sydney Pickrem in 2011. She also won the 100 breast, dropping over a second in 1:03.50. Weyant dropped 4 seconds in the 200 free at this meet as she took the title in 1:49.17.

PSA’s Annie Wohlgemuth set a new LSC Record in the 50 back. Her 25.28 took 3 tenths off the former record set by Abigail Gibbons in 2016. She dropped  a full second from her best. Wohlegmuth also won the 100 back in 56.73.

13-14 Boys Highlights

Sarasota Tsunami’s Evan Keogh, the high point winner, took a pair of distance wins. He broke 4:40 for the first time to win the 500 free in 4:35.84. Keogh then dropped over 10 seconds in the 1000 free in 9:17.81. Taking 2nd there was high point runner-up Raymond Prosinski of Loggerhead Aquatics. Prosinski dropped nearly 20 seconds in 9:38.54.

Keogh also won the 200 back (1:52.35), 200 fly (1:52.69), 200 IM (1:53.69), and 400 IM (4:00.49). His time in the 200 IM took down the Meet Record set by Liam Custer last season. Prosinski won the mile, dropping nearly a minute in 16:18.99. He also won the 200 breast (2:09.46). Teammate Dylan Ramos dropped  nearly 3 seconds to win the 100 back in 53.76.

Sarasota Sharks’ Felipe Baffico set a Meet Record with a 23.27 in the 50 fly, breaking the mark set by Alex Subotich last season. He was the 100 fly champion in 51.08, dropping over a second.

All High Point Winners/Runner-Ups

  • Girls 10 & under: Rylee Erisman, Laker Swim/Janae Sanders, Piranhas YMCA
  • Boys 10 & under: Kai McMeeking, Hydro4 Swimming/Jacob Clark, Laker Swim
  • Girls 11-12: Brooke Billitto, West Florida Lightning/Danika Senekal, Trinity Prep
  • Boys 11-12: Sean Thatavakorn, Tampa Y/Ethan Ekk, Area Tallahassee
  • Girls 13-14: Bella Answeeney, Team Velocity/Addison Reese, Laker Swim
  • Boys 13-14: Evan Keogh, Sarasota Tsunami/Raymond Prosinski, Loggerhead Aquatics

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About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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