Miles Simon Clocks 22.76 50 Free On Day 2 Of Georgia Senior Championships

2023 GEORGIA LSC SENIOR CHAMPS

• July 21-24, 2023
• Columbus Aquatic Center, Columbus, Georgia
• Long Course Meters (50m)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “Georgia LC Senior State Championships 2023”
• Day 1 Recap

Day two of racing is in the books at the 2023 Georgia Senior State Championships in Columbus. Today’s individual event lineup featured the 200 fly, 50 free, 200 breast, 100 back, 50 breast, and 400 free.

The 200 butterfly kicked things off, with McKenzie Campbell dominating the women’s event with a 2:15.23. Her swim marked a personal best time by about half a second, and was her first improvement in the event since July of 2019. Finishing 2nd at 2:23.10 was Abigail McCulloh, while Olivia Della Torre rounded out the podium in 3rd (2:24.42).

The men’s 200 fly ended up being a tight race between Georgia Tech’s Stephen Jones and 17-year-old Gus Bried from Ace Aquatic Club. Bried trailed Jones by half a second at the halfway point, then split a 1:05.58 on the closing 100 to post a best time of 2:04.17. However, Jones managed to hold off Bried and narrowly took 1st with a time of 2:04.09.

Up next was the 50 freestyle, where Georgia commit Elizabeth Tilt touched 1st on the women’s side with a season best time of 26.02. Also breaking 27-seconds in the event was Georgia Tech’s Kiah Smith (26.43) and 15-year-old Amy Shonk (26.87), with Smith’s performance establishing a new best time.

Miles Simon, who will use his fifth year of eligibility at Georgia this fall, decisively won the men’s race in a best time of 22.76. His swim marks a 2024 Olympic Trials time standard, and takes over two-tenths off his previous best time set at U.S. Nationals where he finished 32nd (22.98).

Georgia Tech’s Claudia Butterfield picked up her second victory of the meet in the 200 breaststroke with a 2:38.83, putting her about two seconds slower than the season best time she swam in prelims (2:36.71). Olivia Stewart, an Auburn recruit, grabbed the 2nd spot with a best time of 2:40.48.

Stewart returned later in the session to claim a victory of her own in the 50 breaststroke. She won the event in 33.94, beating runner-up finishers Hannah-Claire Jowers and Mattie Fannin by by nearly a full second (34.76).C

Nils Bognar, also from Georgia Tech, secured his 2nd win of the competition in the men’s 200 breast. Bognar trialed his teammate Julian Killius by almost a second when they turned at the 100, but returned in 1:13.03 to touch 1st in a best time of 2:20.06. Killius ended up 2nd (2:20.52), while Justin Bender took 3rd (2:23.76). Later in the session, the 50 breaststroke went to Preston Lin from George Washington who stopped the clock at 29.19.

Sophie Murphy dropped over a second to win the women’s 100 backstroke, as she went a best time of 1:04.75 to edge Zoe Thatcher by two tenths (1:04.96). The men’s race belonged to Christopher Richardson, who dominated the field with a winning time of 56.87, also good for a new personal best.

Wrapping up the individual events of the session this evening was the 400 freestyle. Sydney Starnes, who is headed to Virginia Tech in the fall, grabbed 1st in the women’s event at 4:29.22. Emory’s Crow Thorsen had a fantastic swim to win the men’s event, as he dropped over five seconds from earlier this month to go a 4:01.92.