Maryland State Champ Virginia Hinds Beats Virginia State Champ Lexi Stephens in Richmond

2023 NOVA Senior Classic

• October 27-29, 2023
• NOVA Aquatic Center, Richmond, Virginia
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “NOVA Senior Classic”

Some of the biggest powerhouse programs from across the Virginia and Washington D.C. area clashed last weekend at the 2023 NOVA Senior Classic.

The biggest breakout of the meet came from 15-year-old Virginia Hinds of All Star Aquatics. She won five races, all in personal bests, including a powerhouse showdown against Poseidon’s Lexi Stephens in the 100 back.

Hinds ism the defending Maryland 4A/3A State Champion in the 100 yard backstroke; meanwhile, Stephens is the defending Virginia 6A State Champion (and Virginia LSC Champion) in the same event.

But last weekend in an early-season test, it was Hinds who came out on top in a Winter Juniors cut of 53.97. That shaves .05 seconds off her previous best time, which was done to win that state title in February. It’s also half-a-second faster than she was at this meet last year.

Stephens finished 2nd in 54.49. She was out three-tenths ahead of Hinds at the turn, but a big back-half swim for Hinds gave her the win.

Given the way she closed that 200 back, then, it’s unsurprising that she also won the 200 back. Her time of 1:58.35, another Winter Juniors cut, was 1.2 seconds ahead of NCAP’s Nadia Thomas (1:59.55) for the win.

Her previous best in the event was a 1:58.39 done at this meet last year.

All dive of Hinds’ wins are listed below:

• 50 free – 23.50 (PB)
• 100 free – 50.64 (PB)
• 200 free – 1:49.97 (PB)
• 100 back – 53.97 (PB)
• 200 back – 1:58.35 (PB)

She also finished 5th in the 100 fly in 56.95 and 4th in the 1000 free in 10:15.03.

Other Noteworthy Results:

• Bryce Rohr, an Arizona State commit swimming for NCAP, won a pair of races in his specialty, the distance free events. He took the 500 free in 4:30.97 and the 1000 free in 9:11.09. While those races were wins, it was his other five events that were all personal bests, including a 1:54.28 in the 200 fly and 1:54.68 in the 200 IM.
• NC State commit Simon Bermudez, best known as a backstroker and IMer, showed some versatility by winning the 200 breast in a new best time of 2:01.05. That is a Winter Juniors cut and knocks six-tenths of a second off his previous best time from March.
• NCAP’s Gwyn Frick, a high school junior committed to Liberty, won the 200 IM in 2:01.73, hitting a Winter Juniors cut. That was one of four personal bests for her, along with a 24.06 in the 50 free, 1:53.15 in the 200 free, and 10:18.69 in the 1000 free. Her times in the 200 IM and 1000 free would lead Liberty this season.
• Kiersten Armstrong from the hosts NOVA won the 1000 free in 10:05.51, a new personal best for her, and the 1650 free in 17:09.96. She also swam best times in the 100 fly (1:01.13) and 200 IM (2:11.02). Just a high school sophomore, her previous best time in the 1000 was her last time swimming it: a 10:08 at NCSAs.
• Carly Lahr swam six personal bests, including a win in the 200 fly in 2:00.71. That swim is .17 seconds better than her best time from NCSAs in March, and would lead her future collegiate program Miami (Florida) this season.