Michael Andrew Swims Lifetime Best in 100 Yard Fly at Carlsbad Sectionals

2020 CARLSBAD SECTIONAL

• Thursday, February 27 – Sunday, March 1, 2020
• Alga Norte Aquatics Center, Carlsbad, CA
• SCY Format
• Thursday: Finals 4:00 PM
• Friday-Sunday: Prelims 8:30 AM / Finals 5:00 PM
• Results available on Meet Mobile under “2020 SI Speedo Sectionals Carlsbad”

A lifetime best of 52.01 for Rancho San Dieguito 16-year old Mia Kragh opened up the swimming on Friday evening at the Alga Norte Aquatics Center for the 2020 Carlsbad Sectional meet.

That swim undercut by a quarter-of-a-second her previous best time, done at the 2019 California State Championship meet where she won the state title. It also cruises well under the 53.32 that she did at this meet last season for the Cal commit.

Heading into the pending start of California High School season, teenage swimmers across the state have a trickier balance to weigh than most of the country: as the last State Championship meet in the country, qualified swimmers have to balance the state meet against the U.S. Olympic Trials that come about 6 weeks later. With a long course best of 1:00.68 in the 100 fly, Kragh has a trickier balance than most: she is within reach of the 59.87 that it took to qualify for a second swim in 2016, but also has a state title to defend.

Samantha Pearson, who will swim for Cal’s rivals Stanford next all, took 2nd in 52.51. Primarily a sprint freestyler, in total Pearson whacked her previous best time of 54.35 on Friday.

Later in the session, Pearson won the 200 IM by over a second in 1:57.51.

The only swimmer within 4 seconds of her was 13-year old Teagan O’Dell in 1:58.92. O’Dell’s time ranks her 14th all-time in the 13-14 age group.

A handful of San Diego’s deep group of professional swimmers also showed up for racing on Friday. That includes 20-year old Michael Andrew, a US National Team member and World Champion in short course meters.

He won both of his races on Friday, swimming a 45.47 in the 100 fly and a 1:44.44 in the 200 IM. For Andrew, that 100 fly time is his best by exactly half-a-second, while his 200 IM swim almost exactly matches the time he did at this meet last year.

Once a regular at short course meets, well after launching his professional career, in 2019 and 2020 he’s narrowed those meets down to these Carlsbad Sectionals and a February local short course meet, focusing the rest of his season on short course meters and long course meters (where most of the money is to be made as a professional) instead.

Andrew is also scheduled to swim the 50 free, 100 breast, 100 free, and 200 breast at this meet.

Ethan Hu finished 2nd in 46.41. That’s not a lifetime best for him, but it is the fastest he’s been outside of a Winter Junior Championships meet.

Other Day 2 Winners:

• After sweeping Thursday’s distance races, twins Jude Williams and Liberty Williams were double trouble again on Friday, with each winning their respective 500 free events as well. In the men’s race, Jude Williams swam a season-best time of 4:23.24. He was followed in 2nd by Mason Romantic, who dropped a second-and-a-half from his lifetime best to go 4:24.73. In the women’s race, Liberty Williams won in 4:47.35 to beat out Ella Ristic (4:49.75). Liberty and Ella will likely race again next year in college: Liberty will attend Louisville while Ristic attends Indiana, which are regional rivals that swim an annual two-day dual meet against each other.
• Emma Karam from the Reno Aquatic Club in Nevada swam a 52.75 to win the women’s 100 back. Her best time coming into the meet was 53.85 from her December championship event. She is now the 3rd-fastest 15-year old backstroker in the country this season behind only Claire Curan (51.38) and Kennedy Noble (52.73), and the 15th-best ever at that age. Karam is currently a high school sophomore.
• Stanford commit Jonathan Affeld won the men’s 100 back in 48.27 after dropping over a second from his best time in prelims with a 48.10. Rose Bowl’s Ronald Dalmacio took 2nd in 49.60.
• The Canyons Aquatic Club won the women’s 400 medley relay in 3:41.59 and Peak Swimming won the men’s 400 medley relay in 3:17.28 to close the session. Peak’s relay included a 54.96 breaststroke split from Jassen Yep.