2024 Illinois/FMC Speedo Grand Challenge
- November 22-24, 2024
- FMC Natatorium – Westmont, Illinois
- Short Course Yards, Prelims/Finals
- Meet Results (PDF)
Best times by a group of underclassmen phenoms and a six-pack of individual wins from Quinn Cynor highlighted the FMC Speedo Grand Challenge in Illinois (not to be confused with the similarly-named meet in California).
On the boys’ side, a big battle in the 100 fly final saw the top six finishers all go under 49 seconds, with 17-year old Henry Guo from the Hinsdale Swim Club winning in 48.18 ahead of 15-year-old Luke Vatev of the Hornet Swim Club (48.22).
Vatev had the fastest time of the day with a 48.16 in prelims, which ranks him 3rd nationally among 15-year-olds this season behind only Californian Shareef Elaydi (47.32) and Floridian Luke Zardavets (48.10).
But it was Guo who had the endurance at the end of the race, opening about two-tenths slower at the halfway mark but coming back late to get the final touch at the end. Guo and Vatev were followed by four-straight finishers from NASA Wildcat Aquatics, including 3rd-place finisher Ethan Chung in 48.44.
While Guo didn’t swim a best time in the 100 fly (he finished 4th at last year’s high school state meet in 47.94), he did swim lifetime bests in six other events. That list included the 100 free (44.84), the 50 free (21.32 split on the front-half of the 100 free final), 200 back (1:47.76), 50 fly (21.87), 200 fly (1:46.59), and 200 IM (1:47.88).
The times in the 200 back, 50 fly, 200 fly, and 200 IM were all new Hinsdale Swim Club Records.
On the girls’ side of the meet, 14-year-old Grace Koenig-Song won the 100 yard breaststroke in a new lifetime best of 1:01.32; she also won the 200 breast in 2:13.87.
Koenig-Song is the 11-12 National Age Group Record holder in the 100 breaststroke. Koenig-Song is the 11-12 National Age Group Record holder in this event with a 1:02.02 from March 2023; while she made some incremental drops last season, this is her first big lurch forward in yards since that record-setting swim.
This time now ranks her 17th all-time in the 13-14 age group, and ranks her 2nd this season behind only Mikayla Tan (1:00.71).
Koenig-Song swam as one of the youngest competitors at the 2024 US Olympic Trials, finishing in 37th place in the 100 breast.
Other Top Performers
- Noah Chen of NASA Wildcat Aquatics won the 100 breast in a new lifetime bests of 54.66 and was 3rd in the 200 breast in a best time of 1:59.03. An uncommitted high school junior, Chen has already dropped 1.5 seconds in the 100 breast and more than three seconds in the 200 breaststroke as he enters the thick of his college recruiting cycle.
- Quinn Cynor, who is back home training in Illinois after three years at the University of Wyoming, won six individual events, including 48.01 in the 100 back and 1:45.78 in the 200 fly.
- Another 14-year-old Jocelyn Hayashi won the 100 back in a best time of 55.14. More of a sprinter at this point of her career, she also made big progress in the 200 back, dropping more than six seconds off her previous lifetime best.
Stuart Timmerman (WILD) will all PBs, most notably 1:58.1 in the 200 Breast, 1:47.7 in the 200 IM, 20.4 and 44.9 in the 50/100 Free should be worth a quick mention in this article I think.
Now, let’s talk about Brady Baxter, folks. If there was ever a bright spot in this meet, it was him in the 200 IM. This kid showed more promise in one race than Timmermans has in the past year. His strokes were clean, his transitions smooth, and the endurance—well, let’s just say he looked like he was in his prime. What a contrast to what we saw from Timmermans last week! Baxter’s got the drive, the form, and most importantly, the spark that suggests we’ve got a future star on our hands. This kid’s got what it takes—he’s got the kind of talent that Timmermans just doesn’t seem to have anymore. Watch out, folks, Brady Baxter’s coming for the top… Read more »
Well folks, looking back at Stuart Timmermans’ performance in the 200 freestyle last week, it’s hard to ignore the signs—Father Time has certainly caught up with him. Once known for his smooth, effortless strokes, Timmermans now looks more like he’s fighting the water than gliding through it. That race was a far cry from what we’ve seen in his prime. The timing was off, the endurance wasn’t there, and it’s hard to deny that age is showing. It’s tough to say, but it may be time to face reality: those glory days are behind him.
Chen winning the 100 breast in a lifetime best of 969 points is so crazy I have no idea how to put it into words!
Just teasing, Braden, thanks for the recap
For those wondering, he went 54.6, finishing second behind teammate Stuart Timmerman (54.2, 54.1 in prelims)
What does this even mean? There’s no mention of points anywhere else in the article?
First bullet:
“Noah Chen of NASA Wildcat Aquatics won the 100 breast in a new lifetime bests of 969 points and was 3rd in the 200 breast in a best time of 1:59.03”
It’s clearly a typo, I’m just teasing Braden. Chen went 54.6, finishing second to his teammate Stuart Timmerman at 54.2
fina points… jeeze dorks