Maximus Williamson Nears PBs, Ethan Zhou Hits #17 All-Time 13-14 200 BR At LAC Fall Classic

2024 LAC Fall Classic

• November 1-3, 2024
• Justin, Texas
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile “LAC Fall Classic”

Lakeside Aquatic Club teammates Maximus Williamson and Ethan Zhou highlighted the action at the LAC Fall Classic last weekend, as clubs primarily in the North Texas LSC converged at the NISD Natatorium in Justin, Texas.

Williamson, the six-time World Junior champion and multi-event NAG record holder, won six of the seven events he raced, nearing his lifetime best in a few of them.

Williamson came closest to his personal best in the 50 free, clocking 19.53 to take over the #1 spot in the boys’ 17-18 age group this season. His PB sits at 19.45, set this past February at the UIL 6A State Championships.

The 18-year-old also claimed the top spot in the 17-18 age group this season in the 100 free, touching in 42.68, just over eight-tenths shy of his best time (41.84).

The Virginia commit also came within striking distance of his PB in the 100 breast, clocking 55.21 compared to his best of 54.98, while in the 100 back, he went 47.04 after setting a best of 46.29 last season.

Williamson also posted a quick time of 1:43.94 in the 200 IM, good for #2 this season for 17-18s, and he also went 3:51.49 in the 400 IM (#6 this season) and 1:46.97 in the 200 fly (#8 this season). His personal best times stand at 1:44.84 in the 200 fly, 1:40.81 in the 200 IM, and 3:39.83 in the 400 IM.

Zhou, 14, showed impressive form by notching lifetime bests in all three events he contested, rising up the all-time age group rankings in the breaststroke races.

In the 200 breast, Zhou produced a time of 2:02.14, knocking more than two seconds off his previous best time (2:04.80) to rank 17th all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group. He also went 56.95 in the 100 breast, lowering his previous PB of 57.18 and moving to #41 in age group history.

He added a 1:55.11 showing in the 200 IM, which ranks 3rd in the 13-14 age group this season (both his breaststroke times rank 2nd to Wilson York).

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

• Texas Ford Aquatics’ Jack Armour set six best times and swept the boys’ breaststroke events, clocking PBs of 54.19 in the 100 breast and 1:57.26 in the 200 breast. The swims rank the 18-year-old 7th and 4th, respectively, in the boys’ 17-18 age group this season. In the 200 IM, he was the runner-up to Williamson in 1:45.85, ranking him 5th in the age group this season. Armour is committed to Notre Dame next season.
• Nitro Swimming’s Grady Bell, 15, had a standout performance in the 200 back, claiming the win in 1:48.20 to rank 3rd this season among 15-year-old boys. He added a best time of 4:34.33 in the 500 free, placing 3rd, and was a PB of 1:41.81 in the 200 free ‘C’ final to take 22nd.
• Metroplex Aquatics’ Evan Pan-Wang, also 15, had finishes ranging from 2nd to 5th in the four finals he raced, highlighted by new best times in the 100 free (45.10) and 200 free (1:38.69), both of which rank 2nd this season for 15-year-old boys. He added season-bests in the 100 back (49.83) and 100 fly (49.49) which rank 3rd and 4th, respectively, this season for 15-year-olds.
• Another Metroplex Aquatics swimmer, Tori Bohland, had some impressive swims in the 200 breast (2:27.59) and 100 fly (59.42), both ranking her 1st this season for 11-year-old girls.
• Lakeside’s Ella McWhorter, 16, set a new lifetime best en route to a win in the girls’ 100 breast, clocking 1:01.51 to rank 3rd this season in the 15-16 age group. She also won the 200 breast in 2:14.87 to rank 2nd this season in the age group.
• Tyler Rose Aquatic Club’s Madalyn Petty, 15, dropped 14 seconds in the 1000 free, touching in 9:57.55 to rank 2nd this season in the girls’ 15-16 age group. Petty also set new bests in the 200 free (1:51.80), 500 free (4:53.97), 200 IM (2:11.21) and 400 IM (4:29.92).
• Lakeside’s Lily Andruss had three victories, including a 1:58.56 clocking in the 200 backstroke to rank 7th this season for 15-16s. The 15-year-old owns a PB of 1:58.27 from November 2023. She also won the 200 free (1:49.58) and 500 free (4:56.90), ranking her 9th and 22nd, respectively, for 15-16s this season.
• Magnolia’s Cullen Kahl, 14, put up personal bests in five events, ranking 6th this season for 13-14 boys in the 100 breast (58.67), 5th in the 200 breast (2:06.54) and 1st in the 200 IM (1:54.32).
• Metroplex’s Charlie Wang had a noteworthy best time in the 100 breast, clocking 56.66 to rank 5th this season for 15-year-olds boys.
• Wang’s teammate Gabriel Campos, 16, set four best times, moving to 5th this season in the boys’ 15-16 age group in the 200 breast (2:02.14) and 12th in the 100 breast (56.49).