2024 Virginia Commonwealth Games
- May 31-June 2, 2024
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Mobile: “2024 Virginia Commonwealth Games”
This past weekend served as a last chance weekend for swimmers to earn Olympic Trials cuts as US Trials begin on June 15 in Indianapolis. Several Virginia-based athletes earned their ticket to Indy including Joseph Hong who earned the cut in the men’s 200 breast while Malia Francis earned the cut in the women’s 200 back.
Hong, who competes collegiately for Virginia Tech, swam to a 2:15.35 in the 200 breast which is under the cut of a 2:15.99. He had just missed the cut a few weeks ago at the Atlanta Classic as he swam a 2:16.20 then.
Francis competes collegiately for Liberty University. She swam to a 2:13.19 in the 200 backstroke, under the cut that stands at a 2:13.59. Ths swim was also a big drop for Francis as her previous best time was a 2:14.83 that she swam back in December. Her best time coming into the season was a 2:15.63 from June 2021.
Also highlighting the meet was Lexi Stephens who swam to best times in the 100 butterfly (1:01.97) and 200 IM (2:18.93). Both were off of the Trials cuts but just over a second. Stephens is headed to Indianapolis later this month as she qualified for the meet in the 200 backstroke.
On the men’s side, Jorge Iga swam to a 1:48.31 in the 200 freestyle, 49.47 in the 100 free, and a 53.32 in the 100 fly. Iga represents Mexico at the international level. Iga notably won silver at the Pan Am Games last fall in the 200 free with a 1:47.56.
2020(1) Wave II Trials finalist AJ Pouch was also in attendance at the meet. Pouch swam to a 1:01.99 in the 100 breast, a time that was a season best as well. His best time stands at a 1:00.36 that he swam in prelims at Wave II Trials. He also finished 5th in the 200 breast at Wave II Trials, just two seconds off of making the 2020 US Olympic Team.
Joseph Hong is the greatest swimmer of all time 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Let’s go Hongk! 🔥