On Night 3, Hudson DeGroote takes 3rd win of Richmond Futures with a 3:57.10 400 FR

2024 Futures – Richmond

Day 3 of the 2024 Richmond Futures started with the women’s 400 free, which 16-year old Lucianna Gutierrez won in 4:20.46. Gutierrez, an Indiana University commit, used a quick 1:04.11 closing 100 split to come back on the field and take the win. She swam past NCAP’s Maren Conze (4:21.28), along with Sadie Buckley and Alexandra Scime who tied for 3rd in 4:23.39. Gutierrez owns a PB of 4:19.48, which she swam back in May at Eastern Zone Super Sectionals.

The men’s 400 free saw a familiar face win, as Hudson DeGroote, the men’s 1500 free and 400 IM champion, got his hand on the wall first in 3:57.10. He shaved .87 off his PB of 3:57.97, which he set last month at US Trials. Second went to Metro Area Lifetime’s Charlie Kulp, who swam under the 4:00 barrier for the first time in his career by a comfortable margin in a 3:58.17. Kulp, a Duke commit (’25), entered the season with a career best of 4:09.05, and has now dropped over 10 seconds just this year. Cavalier Aquatic’s William Charlton rounded out the podium in 4:01.36, taking 3 seconds off his PB of 4:04.40.

Texas commit Sarah Rodrigues won the 100 fly, splitting 29.11/31.29 to near the 1:00 barrier. Her 1:00.40 was a new PB by 0.89, as she entered the meet with a best of 1:01.29, set at the 2024 US Trials. Emerson Callis, the 200 fly and 400 IM champion at this meet, took 2nd in 1:00.84.

NCAP’s Jt Schmid out touched his teammate Rian Graham for the win in the men’s 100 fly, 53.83 to 53.94. Both broke the 54 barrier for the first time, with Schmid entering the meet with a 54.87 and Graham’s previous best a 54.58.

In a similar story to its shorter counterpart, the 100 breast, the podium of the women’s 200 breast was once again filled by 16 year olds. This time, the 1-2 finishers were flipped, as Cavalier Aquatics’ Sara Czirjak got the better of MSA’s Kayda Geyer, out touching her 2:33.84 to 2:34.39. Third place went to NCAP’s Caroline Agee, who swam a 2:35.90.

Gabe Nunziata, the men’s 100 breast victor, remained on top of the podium for the 200 breast. He swam a 2:14.52, off he 2:11.78 he swam last month at US Trials to earn a semi-finals berth in this event. Nunziata won comfortably regardless, with second place Zachary Drotar swimming a 2:18.49. He was followed by the session’s 2nd tie for 3rd place, as Ian Sutts and Jack Grandy both swam 2:18.64 to get on the podium.

It was neck and neck between NCAP and Metro Area Lifetime at the start of the women’s 4×100 free relay, with NCAP’s Maren Conze taking the early lead in 58.49. She was followed by Caroline Kilty (59.62), Alyssa Sagle (58.79), and anchor Allison Witdoeckt (57.64), culminating in a time of 3:54.64. Lifetime’s Madeline Crawford lead off in 59.88, and was followed by Kiera Harkins‘ 59.17. While trailing at the 200 mark, Danielle Carter split a crucial 57.58 to help LIFE take over the lead by 3 tenths. She handed it off to Sidney Arcella, who dropped the hammer and swam a 56.40 to anchor Lifetime to victory in 3:53.03.

The men’s 4×100 free relay saw NCAP take the top 2 podium spots, with their A-team of Rian Graham (52.08), Jt Schmid (51.06), Andrew Vanas (50.87), and Simon Bermudez (51.39) swimming a 3:25.40 for the win. NCAP’s B-team of Jack Fulham (52.37), Tyler Phillips (53.12), Josh Donovan (52.08) and Josh Howat (50.58) swam a combined 3:28.15 to take second.

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