Leah Hayes Highlights US Roster of 38 Swimmers Heading to World Juniors

USA Swimming announced its roster for the 2023 World Junior Championships. The roster features 19 girls and 19 boys along with eight coaches.

Highlighting the roster is Leah Hayes who made the team in five total events as she will swim the 200 free, 200 IM, 400 IM as well as on the 4×100 freestyle and 4×200 freestyle relays. Hayes won bronze in the women’s 200 IM last summer at the 2022 World Championships. Hayes just missed out on qualifying for the Worlds team this summer as she finished third in the 400 IM and fourth in the 200 IM at US World Trials two weeks ago.

On the boys side, Daniel Diehl leads the way with six total events. He will swim the 100 free, 50 back, 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM as well as on the boys 4×100 free relay. Last summer, Diehl won the boys 100 backstroke title at the Junior Pan Pac Championships.

Other Junior Pan Pac Champions that will also represent the US this year are Piper Enge who won the girls 100 breast and Maximus Williamson who won the boys 200 IM.

In order to be eligible for the meet, athletes must be between the ages of 14-18 as of December 31, 2023. Athletes were selected based on their results from US World Trials that took place two weeks ago in Indianapolis.

The World Junior roster was the second priority roster for the US at World Trials. The full priority by meet was:

  1. 2023 World Aquatics Championships
  2. 2023 World Aquatics Junior Championships
  3. 2023 Pan American Games
  4. 2023 LEN European U23 Championships

The 2023 World Junior Championships will take place from September 4-9 at the Wingate Institute in Netanya, Israel. Notably, although the roster has to be 18 by the end of the calendar year, most athletes will miss the beginning of their school year in some form.

The US did not send a team to the 2022 World Junior Championships as they instead opted to send a team to the Junior Pan Pac Championships. Last year, Japan topped the medal table at World Juniors.

Mason Manta Ray’s (Ohio) Ken Heis will be the head coach of the boys team. Jason Zhao of Mason Manta Rays qualified in the 100 free as well as the 4×100 free relay and 4×200 free relay. On the girls side, Ginny Nussbaum of Long Island Aquatic Club (New York) will lead the team.

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Bob
1 year ago

Does going to a world Fina championships not mean you can’t attend world juniors?Or is that a country by country decision?

Troyy
Reply to  Bob
1 year ago

Entirely up to the country.

KeithM
Reply to  Bob
1 year ago

Country by Country. Ruta went to juniors after winning gold. Canada sent Oleksiak & Ruck to Jr. worlds in Indy where they annihilated all the relay records. Milak also went there after winning medals at Worlds. Ledecky could have swam in Dubai 2013 and Missy in Lima were it not for USA Swimming’s spread the experience approach.

organic garlic crackers
Reply to  KeithM
1 year ago

Why then was Regan Smith allowed to go to World Juniors in ’17 after being in the 2back at Worlds?

Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  organic garlic crackers
1 year ago

different year, different selection criteria. Insert Michael Andrew Rhetoric here

KeithM
Reply to  organic garlic crackers
1 year ago

I believe they specifically altered the policy that year because the US were hosts.

Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  Bob
1 year ago

junior pan pacs is the only meet to impose that sort of limitation

Bo Swims
Reply to  Bob
1 year ago

Lots will attend both, some individuals will opt out ex – Summer.

Penny & Taylor went in 2017 to swim relays for Canada.

LBSWIM
1 year ago

There once was a man from Nantucket…..

KeithM
1 year ago

Looks like Long Island & future UVA pair Howley & Gormsen have declined.

oxyswim
Reply to  KeithM
1 year ago

It’s a couple weeks after classes start for most colleges and that can be really difficult to navigate as freshmen.

Sherry Smit
1 year ago

Seeing Sauickie here is great, she showed some promise at 15 when she went 1:59.45 in the 200. Now she’s finally reaching her potential

Bill P
1 year ago

Qualifications for Canada originally which is the best way stand up and Race on demand at trials to make the team. What ever happened to that. No pre selection or bye onto the team Athletes are supposed to be ready to race on demand at trials just like most countries today. So just continue to getterdone on demand at trials.

CanSwimFan
Reply to  Bill P
1 year ago

What?

LBSWIM
Reply to  CanSwimFan
1 year ago

Ya I have no clue either. Just a bunch of words.

Viking Steve
1 year ago

Awesome pic above of competitive intensity, right down to the MP on the goggle straps!

SwimMAC Carolina
1 year ago

SwimMAC representing! Congratulations to all selections!

Zippo
1 year ago

Champions in the Making

USA Swimming’s finest we see,
World Junior Championships decree.
Nineteen girls, boys, and eight coaches strong,
Competing, they’ll sing their victory song.
In Israel, they’ll swim with glee!

Noah
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

SHUT UPPPP

Zippo
Reply to  Noah
1 year ago

There once was a commenter named Noah,
On Swimswam, he caused quite a furore.
Zippo’s poems made him annoyed,
Their rhymes he’d avoid,
Noah wished for a limerick-free forum.

ChatGPT FTW
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

Zippo figured out how to use ChatGPT, congrats…

Last edited 1 year ago by ChatGPT FTW
sunbun
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

Do us all a massive favor and SHUT UP

Zippo
Reply to  sunbun
1 year ago

Oh sunbun, let’s find a better way
To lift each other up, day by day
Words can be powerful, so let’s be kind
And leave negativity far behind.

Jess
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

Stop

bubo
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

-Robert Frost

henry
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

100% an old english teacher behind this

Admin
Reply to  henry
1 year ago

I dunno, every English teacher I ever had hated good poetry and loved bad poetry.

Bo Swims
Reply to  Braden Keith
1 year ago

🤷‍♂️

Swimfan
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

Ugh 😩 oh god he’s at it again

whoisthis
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

just no

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …

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