2019 Arena Grand Challenge
- July 5-8, 2019
- Fresno, California
- Clovis North High School
- Full Results (PDF)
The 2019 Arena Grand Challenge wrapped up on Monday from Fresno, California, where swimmers from teams such as the Clovis Swim Club, the Terrapins Swim Team and the Santa Maria Swim Club competed over four days at Clovis North High School.
A total of four swimmers picked up four individual event wins over the course of the meet, including 23-year-old Linnea Mack who was representing Osprey Aquatics.
Mack won the women’s 50 free (25.35), 100 free (55.25) and 100 fly (59.57) all in personal best times, and added another victory in the 100 back (1:02.87).
14-year-old Clovis standout Claire Tuggle had a pair of runner-up finishes to Mack in the 100 free (58.36) and 100 back (1:06.79), the latter being a PB, and was also one of the athletes to have four wins.
Tuggle topped the field in the 200 (2:02.42), 400 (4:16.93) and 800 free (8:42.37), along with the 200 fly (2:16.93) which was another best.
Also winning multiple events on the women’s side was 19-year-old Izzie Fraire of Santa Maria in the 100 (1:13.83) and 200 breast (2:41.06), and 15-year-old Kyla Kelly of San Ramon Valley Aquatics in the 200 back (2:22.59) and 400 IM (5:10.84). All four of those swims were personal best times.
On the men’s side it was Christopher Staka of Aptos Cabrillo and Parker Reynolds of Santa Maria picking up four wins.
Staka, 21, topped the 100 back (58.85), 100 breast (1:05.89), 200 breast (2:22.07), and 200 IM (2:07.26), and added a runner-up finish in the 200 free (1:56.08). His swims in the 200 free, breast and IM were all new bests.
Reynolds, 15, swam lifetime best times in all four of his victories. He won that 200 free in 1:55.52, and also claimed the 400 (4:00.34), 800 (8:18.38) and 1500 free (15:52.22).
16-year-old Adrian Dulay of the Terrapins also had multiple wins for the men, topping fields in the 100 (58.46) and 200 fly (2:07.96). His 200 swim was a new best time by close to four seconds.
I’m curious where Tuggle plans to swim this summer. She’s National Junior Team, so I assume gearing up for something later in the Summer. Interesting that many of her non-free times are now PB’, but she still has some way to get back to last years times in all her key free events.