Raya Mellott Becomes Fifth-Fastest 15-Year-Old In History With 2:09.53 200 Breast

2023 DACA Post CCS/NCS Senior Meet

• Sunday, May 7, 2023
• Saratoga, California
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2023 DACA Post CCS/NCS Senior Meet”

Following the North Coast and Central Section high school championship meets last weekend, a “Post CCS/NCS” senior meet was hosted at Saratoga High School on Sunday, with a few swimmers firing off some blistering times.

Highlighting the one-day competition was Raya Mellott, the 15-year-old Crow Canyon Country Club Sharks swimmer who was the runner-up in the girls’ 200 breaststroke at the 2022 U.S. Junior National Championships.

Mellott powered her way to a lifetime best of 2:09.53 in the SCY 200 breast, marking her first time under the 2:10 barrier to make her the fifth-fastest 15-year-old in U.S. history.

All-Time Performers, 15-Year-Old Girls, 200 Breaststroke (SCY)

1. Molly Sweeney (Carmel Swim Club), 2:08.08 – 2022
2. Addie Robillard (Mason Manta Rays), 2:08.40 – 2022
3. Alex Walsh (Nashville Aquatic Club), 2:08.85 – 2017
4. Piper Enge (Bellevue Club Swim Team), 2:09.09 – 2021
5. Raya Mellott (Crow Canyon Sharks), 2:09.53 – 2023
6. Anna Keating (Machine Aquatics), 2:09.63 – 2018
7. Allie Raab (Nashville Aquatic Club), 2:09.69 – 2015
8. Ella Nelson (Nashville Aquatic Club), 2:09.99 – 2016
9. Elle Scott (NOVA of Virginia), 2:10.04 – 2023
10. Bella Brito (Beach Cities Swimming), 2:10.15 – 2022

Among the top 10 list above, five of those performances have been produced during the 2022-23 season, including Molly Sweeney, Addie Robillard and Bella Brito all putting up their respective times at the Winter Junior Championships in December.

In addition to ranking fifth among 15-year-olds, Mellott soars up to 14th all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group with her performance and is less than half a second away from cracking the top 10.

All-Time Performers, 15-16 Girls, 200 Breaststroke (SCY)

1. Alex Walsh (Nashville Aquatic Club), 2:06.45 – 2018
2. Zoe Bartel (Fort Collins Area Swim Team), 2:07.73 – 2016
3. Katie Christopherson (SwimAtlanta), 2:07.81 – 2022
4. Abby Arens (Marlins of Raleigh), 2:08.06 – 2019
5. Molly Sweeney (Carmel Swim Club), 2:08.08 – 2022
6. Caitlin Leverenz (El Dorado Aquatics Club), 2:08.11 – 2007
7. Addie Robillard (Mason Manta Rays), 2:08.40 – 2022
8. Zoie Hartman (Crow Canyon Sharks), 2:08.60 – 2017
9. Nikol Popov (Canyons Aquatic Club), 2:08.92 – 2016
10. Mary Ellen Warta (USA), 2:09.06 – 1989
11. Piper Enge (Bellevue Club Swim Team), 2:09.09 – 2021
12. Lucy Thomas (Elmbrook Swim Club), 2:09.16 – 2022
13. Grace Zhao (Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics), 2:09.23 – 2015
14. Raya Mellott (Crow Canyon Sharks), 2:09.53 – 2023
15. Ashlyn McCauley (Marlins of Raleigh), 2:09.54 – 2017

Mellott has reset her PB in the event on numerous occasions this season, first clocking 2:11.22 in September to rank third all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group before getting down to 2:10.16 in November and then 2:10.15 in March at the Speedo Sectionals in Carlsbad.

Split Comparison

Another standout performer at the meet was Tim Wu of the Pleasanton Seahawks, as the 14-year-old dropped more than eight seconds in the 400 IM to move into 15th all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group.

Wu dropped a time of 3:55.04 in the event, obliterating his previous best of 4:03.40 set in November.

All-Time Performers, 15-16 Boys, 400 IM (SCY)

1. Thomas Heilman (Cavalier Aquatics/Piedmont Family YMCA), 3:51.46 – 2022
2. Tyler Lu (King Aquatic Club), 3:51.54 – 2018
3. Baylor Stanton (Gwinnett Aquatics), 3:51.68 – 2022
4. Michael Andrew (Race Pace Club), 3:52.08 – 2014
5. Tona Zinn (Socal Aquatics Association), 3:52.08 – 2019
6. Carson Foster (Mason Manta Rays), 3:52.25 – 2016
7. Sean Green (Long Island Aquatic Club), 3:52.96 – 2022
8. Cooper Lucas (Lakeside Aquatic Club), 3:52.97 – 2019
9. Josh Zuchowski (Flood Aquatics Swim Team), 3:53.06 – 2019
10. Curtis Ogren (Peak Swimming), 3:54.23 – 2010
11. (TIE) Carter Lancaster (Carmel Swim Club), 3:54.67 – 2021
12. (TIE) Norvin Clontz (SwimMAC Carolina), 3:54.67 – 2021
13. Jarod Arroyo (Wasatch Front Fish Market), 3:54.69 – 2015
14. Nick Silverthorn (Pleasanton Seahawks), 3:55.01 – 2010
15. Tim Wu (Pleasanton Seahawks), 3:55.04 – 2023

Wu also put up a notable time of 2:06.60 in the 200 breast, edging out 14-year-old teammate Oryan Liu (2:06.79) as both fell just shy of their personal best times set earlier this season.

Wu has been as fast as 2:05.62, done in March, while Liu went 2:06.25 in November.

Crow Canyon Sharks’ Blake Hill was another swimmer who had some standout performances, as he put up personal best times of 1:49.88 in the 200 fly and 1:53.34 in the 200 back. His swim in the 200 fly ranks him 14th among 15-year-old boys in the U.S. this season.