Landon Gentry Jumps Up 15-16 Ranks with 1:43 200 Fly on PV Winter Champs Day 3

2020 Potomac Valley 18&U Winter Championships

• December 3-December 6, 2020
• Claude Moore Recreation Center, Sterling, VA
• SCY
• Results on Meet Mobile as “2020 PV 18&U Winter Championships”
• Meet Central
• Friday Finals Results

The Potomac Valley LSC 18&U Championships continued today with the 500 free, 200 fly, and the 100 back. This is one of many events contested between now and December 13th that will count towards USA Swimming’s Winter 18&U Championships, and you can keep an eye on those consolidated rankings here.

Nation Capital’s Landon Gentry had the swim of the night with his 1:43.03 in the 200 fly. As of the moment, that time moves him to #5 all-time in the 15-16 age group, and actually is quicker than the 1:43.18 it took to qualify for the 2020 NCAA Division Championships in this event. Gentry, who committed to Virginia Tech, has been on a massive improvement curve here lately, as tonight’s swim was a personal best by over three seconds, and he’s also set new personal bests in the 100 fly and 200 free so far this week.

The 500 free was the most hotly contested event of the night on the boys’s side, with four swimmers in the running for the win. In the end, the Fish’s Sam O’Brien and Sean Santos reprised their top two finish from the 1000 free on Thursday, albeit in reversed positions. O’Brien won in 4:30.45, with Santos a touch behind at 4:30.88. That’s a new lifetime best by over three seconds for both swimmers.

Mako’s Anthony Grimm grabbed his third win in as many days with a 46.25 victory in the 100 back. That’s Grimm’s 2nd-fastest time ever, behind only his 45.60 from March 2019. Grimm won the 50 free (and took 2nd to Gentry) in the 100 fly on Thursday and won the 100 breast last night.

Nation’s Capital teammates Paige McKenna and Erin Gemmell duked it out in the 500 free. McKenna went out in 53.99, and she and Gemmell traded the lead several times before McKenna took it over with 100 to go. It was tight all the way to the finish, but McKenna held on to win 4:45.43 to 4:45.88. McKenna was about five seconds off of her personal best, while Gemmell set a new best time by nearly two seconds.

Arlington Aquatic Club’s Torri Huske rattled NAG records in the 50 free and 100 fly Thursday, then won the 200 free last night, and tonight she won her 4th event of the meet with a 1:54.04 in the 200 fly, touching first by over three seconds. That’s a new lifetime best for her by over a second, and that moves her to #13 all-time in the 17-18 age group.

The action wrapped with the 100 back, where NCAP’s Aris Runnels won with a 53.16, after taking 2nd in the 100 breast yesterday. Runnels, who’s committed to the Florida Gators, also set a new lifetime best, with her previous best of 53.80 coming from her high school regional championships this February.