LIAC’s Una Diaz & Planet Swim’s Lincoln Driesse Win Junior 5K U.S. Open Water Titles

2025 Open Water National/Junior National Championships

• April 4-6, 2025
• Sarasota, Florida
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The 2025 Open Water National and Junior Championships continued on Saturday in Sarasota, Florida. On the schedule were the girls’ and boys’ 5K junior races, with competitors swimming three loops around the red-marked course, as shown below. The 5K is open to athletes aged 15 and under, while those in the 16–17 age group will compete in the 7.5K race on Sunday morning.

The girls’ race proved to be a highly competitive event, with Long Island Aquatic Club (LIAC) establishing themselves as the top-tier program. The club not only produced the winner, Una Diaz, but also had two additional swimmers finish in the top 10. Ginny Nussbaum and David Ferris, the co-head coaches of LIAC, seem to be building a strong core of open water swimmers as the Olympic cycle progresses.

Diaz, with a time of 1:05:29, claimed the National Junior title by an 11-second margin. Teammate Lauren Canty wasn’t far behind, finishing 4th with a time of 1:06:16, while fellow Long Island Aquatic Club swimmer Charlotte Kohner touched 10th in 1:06:50.

“The first length was very rough, but it slowly got better as the laps went on,” Diaz told USA Swimming. “On the first lap, I just wanted to stay in the front pack, draft off of people, and stay relaxed—not go all out. In the second lap, I began to pick up my pace, and in the final lap, I made my moves on the competition.”

Sarah Zhang of Revolution Aquatic Club took 2nd place with a time of 1:05:40, while Zayda Miehl of Corvallis Aquatic Team secured 3rd in 1:05:53. Jane Chevalier from Badger Swim Club rounded out the top five with a 5th place finish in 1:06:18.

Diaz finished 9th last year, Zhang placed 7th, and Miehl was 3rd, so both Diaz and Zhang made significant improvements, while Miehl earned her second straight bronze in the event.

Girls’ Top 16 Finishers:

1. Una Diaz (Long Island Aquatic Club) – 1:05:29
2. Sarah Zhang (Revolution Aquatic Club) – 1:05:40
3. Zayda Miehl (Corvallis Aquatic Team) – 1:05:53
4. Lauren Canty (Long Island Aquatic Club) – 1:06:16
5. Jane Chevalier (Badger Swim Club, Inc.) – 1:06:18
6. Liv Fleshman (TAC Titans) – 1:06:25
7. Violet Rutter (Unattached) – 1:06:43
8. Clare Herfel (Northern KY Clippers Swimming) – 1:06:46
9. Karter Seluk (Gulf Coast Swim Team) – 1:06:48
10. Charlotte Kohner (Long Island Aquatic Club) – 1:06:50
11. Elyse Brenenborg (Racer X Aquatics) – 1:08:03
12. Olivia Parent (Sunrise Swim Club) – 1:08:21
13. Lola Angotti (Sandpipers Of Nevada) – 1:08:28
14. Ansley Bess (Saint Petersburg Aquatics) – 1:08:45
15. Blake Beaver (Bolles School Sharks) – 1:09:00
16. Tessa Hurguy (Bainbridge Island Swim Club) – 1:09:05

Lincoln Driesse of Planet Swim Aquatics won the boys’ Junior 5K U.S. Open Water national title with a time of 58:37, winning the race by over 30 seconds. Much like the LIAC girls’ performance, Planet Swim Aquatics showcased their strength in numbers, placing two swimmers in the top five. Teammate Owen Anderson backed up Driesse’s win with a 5th-place finish in 1:00:43.

Speaking to USA Swimming after the race, Driesse said, “It was rough on the last lap, and the water was really churning. I was building every single lap. When I saw I was in the lead a little bit, I just kept going.”

“This was only my second open water swim ever. I really enjoyed this opportunity to do something different. I will definitely be back to compete in open water again,” he added.

Saint Petersburg Aquatics’ Sawyer Hansen earned runner-up honors in 59:10, maintaining a 23-second lead over 3rd place finisher Joey Eaddy of Revolution Aquatic Club. While there was a sizable gap between the top three and the rest of the field, the competition for 4th place was most exciting of all. Positions 4th through 13th were separated by just 24 seconds, with 4th through 8th only 7 seconds apart.

The tightest race was between the Owens for 4th, as Owen Miklos of NOVA of Virginia outswam Anderson over the final 50 meters to win by three seconds.

None of the top five swimmers competed in this race last year, so the lack of national-level experience did not have an effect on them.

Boys’ Top 16 Finishers:

1. Lincoln Driesse (Planet Swim Aquatics) – 0:58:37
2. Sawyer Hansen (Saint Petersburg Aquatics) – 0:59:10
3. Joey Eaddy (Revolution Aquatic Club) – 0:59:33
4. Owen Miklos (NOVA of Virginia Aquatics, Inc) – 1:00:40
5. Owen Anderson (Planet Swim Aquatics) – 1:00:43
6. Trace Colton (North Palm Beach Swimming) – 1:00:44
7. Connor Minear (Arlington Aquatic Club) – 1:00:45
8. Parker Van Olst (New Wave Swim Team) – 1:00:47
9. Eli Sweet (SwimMAC Carolina) – 1:00:51
10. Denzo Senekal (Blue Dolfins) – 1:00:57
11. Joshua Pendleton (Club Olympia Swim Team) – 1:00:58
12. Lewis Bateman (Sandpipers Of Nevada) – 1:00:59
13. Nolan Kurtz (Saint Petersburg Aquatics) – 1:01:04
14. Eugene Novak (Saint Petersburg Aquatics) – 1:01:34
15. Declan Komelasky (North Carolina Aquatic Club) – 1:01:59
16. Campbell Johnson (Excel Aquatics) – 1:02:12