Leah Hayes Swims More Best Times to Close Out Chicagoland Championships

2023 Speedo Chicagoland Championships

• February 10-12, 2023
• Norris Center Pool, Saint Charles, Illinois
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Meet Results

17-year-old Leah Hayes won 5 events and swam 4 best times this weekend at the Speedo Chicagoland Championships.

The headliner was a 4:03.05 in the 400 IM which ranks her as the 8th-best 17-18 performer in the event (read more here).

But that wasn’t her only big performance of the meet. Hayes also swam lifetime bests in the 50 free (22.81), 100 breast (1:01.02), and 200 breast (2:10.49). She also won the 200 IM in 1:57.13 – the long course version of that event is where she took a World Championship bronze medal last summer. She has been about three seconds faster in the 200 yard IM.

Hayes was the star of the show, but she wasn’t the only swimmer to have big performances. Brayden Capen from the Academy Bullets swam best times in the 50 free (22.22 – leading off a relay), 200 free (1:44.40), 500 free (4:33.82), 100 breast (1:01.50), and 100 fly (53.69). The 14-year-old is an 8th grader, and all but the 100 fly were event wins for him in the age group.

His time in the 500 free ranks him in the top 100 all-time in the age group.

Other Notable Results:

• Becky Rentz, a high school sophomore, won the 100 fly in 53.88. That wasn’t a best time, but her swims in the 200 free (1:49.60), 200 IM (2:03.89), and 400 IM (4:24.51) were.
• Another sophomore, Izzy Beu, swam a bunch of best times, including a 1:49.65 in the 200 free.
• Vera Conic from the Palatine Park District team, a high school freshman, swam best times in the 200 free (52.82), 500 free (5:01.35), and 100 fly (58.12). She also swam a 1:59.08 in her best event, the 200 back, though that wasn’t a personal best.
• Artemiy Zakorchemnyy from Palatine Park District won the 1000 free in 9:46.34, the 400 IM in 4:06.76, and the 200 breast in 2:08.43. The latter was a best time for the uncommitted high school junior, albeit in a secondary event.
• Oliver Brereton from the Barrington Swim Club won seven races in the 10 & under age group, with best times in all seven races. That includes a 5:33.07 in the 500 free.