Josh Parent Nabs 2nd OT Cut, Moves to #22 in 15-16 Age Group, with 4:23 400 IM

2021 PRO SWIM SERIES – RICHMOND

• January 14-17, 2021
• Collegiate School Aquatics Center, Richmond, VA
• Start Times (Eastern Time): Women’s Prelims: 9:00 a.m. / Men’s Prelims: 90 minutes after women’s prelims (between 11:30-12:00) / Finals: 7:00 p.m.
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Info (Both Sites)
• Schedule/Initial Timelines
• Live Stream (USA Swimming)
• Psych sheets
• Heat sheets
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2021 TYR Pro Swim Series – Richmond”

While most of the big names were competing over at the San Antonio site of January’s Pro Swim Series event, there’s still plenty of interesting storylines to keep an eye on at the Richmond site.

One of those stories is the progression of 16 year-old Josh Parent of the Blueflish. Parent just turned 16 about two months ago, but his 4:23.89 in the 400 IM tonight, which was the fastest time at the Richmond site and the 5th-fastest time overall, moves him to #22 all-time in the 15-16 age group.

Parent is one of many teenage swimmers we’ve seen to continue to lop off time over the last few months, despite training (and life in general) being interrupted by the effect of the pandemic. Last March, Parent hit a personal best of 4:29.08 at Sectionals, shortly before meets starting getting canceled. Since then, he lowered his personal best to 4:26.17 at the U.S. Open in November, then knocked another 2+ seconds off of his lifetime best tonight, hitting an Olympic Trials cut in the process.

It’s not unreasonable to suggest the Parent could very well shave a few more seconds off of that time in the next 10 months he’s in the age group, and if he can hit anything under 4:23, that’ll move him to #10 all-time in the age group. The age group record belongs to Carson Foster, who went 4:14.73 at 2018 Junior Pan Pacs.

Parent’s Olympic Trials cut tonight was his second is as many days, after he knocked nearly five seconds off of his personal best last night to go 8:08.95 in the 800m free, a time which moves him to #37 all-time in the age group for that event. Parent will also be going after cuts in the 400m free and the 200 IM in the next two days.