Richmond Spring Cup: Gemmell (16), Weinstein (14) Hit Wave II Cuts in 400 Free

2021 TYR 18&Under Spring Cup – Richmond Site

• April 29-May 2nd
• SwimRVA, Richmond, VA
• LCM (50m)
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results on MeetMobile
• Day 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap

Team Scores (Top 5)

Combined

1. Nation’s Capital Swim Club – 454.5
2. Nova of Virginia – 294.5
3. North Baltimore Aquatic Club – 246.5
4. Jersey Wahoos – 212
5. Badger Swim Club – 123

Men

1. North Baltimore Aquatic Club – 169
2. Nation’s Capital Swim Club – 129
3. The Fish – 116
4. Nova of Virginia – 110.5
5. Jersey Wahoos – 83

Women

1. Nation’s Capital Swim Club – 325.5
2. Nova of Virginia – 184
3. Jersey Wahoos – 129
4. Badger Swim Club – 123
5. Westchester Aquatic Club – 90

The last women’s race of the night was the most electric on day 3 of the TYR 18&U Spring Cup in Richmond. Freestyle aces Erin Gemmell, a NCAP 16-year-old, and Claire Weinstein, a Westchester Aquatic Club 14-year-old, went head-to-head in finals of the 400 free, pushing each other to lifetime bests and new Trials cuts. Gemmell took the race out in 28.69, ahead of Weinstein’s 29.37. From there, Weinstein quickly took over, out-splitting Gemmell on the next 150 to flip at the 200 mark in 2:04.82, with Gemmell right behind in 2:05.44. Weistein then maintained her lead through the next 100, flipping at 3:09.90 at the 300, while Gemmell was 4:10.50. Gemmell ate into that lead on the 7th 50, splitting 32.07 to Weinstein’s 32.60, which left Weinstein’s lead at just 0.07 seconds with a single 50 to go. With a sizzling 30.37 on the final 50, Gemmell was able to seal the deal, roaring into the finish in 4:12.94. Weinstein also brought it home fast, splitting 30.70, for a 4:13.20.

Both girls swam massive lifetime bests. Gemmell entered the meet with a 4:16.66, which she had swum in July of 2019. Weinstein’s personal best was 4:15.29, which was from January of this year. Importantly, both girls came in under the Olympic Trials Wave II standard of 4:13.29. Jersey Wahoos 18-year-old Erin Cavanagh also posted a huge lifetime best. She swam a 4:17.82, dropping almost 5 seconds from her previous best of 4:22.59.

Torri Huske, an 18-year-old out of Arlington Aquatic Club, continued to flex her muscles as the U.S. Olympic Trials grow ever nearer. After breaking through in the 200 free on Friday night, Huske swam a 2:10.88 to win the women’s 200 fly on Saturday night. The swim reinforces Huske’s performance from early April, where she swam a lifetime best 2:09.90. Assuming Huske swims the 200 fly at Trials, now that she has swum a 2:09 and 2:10 just a few weeks apart, she appears to be in play to make it out of prelims, and maybe even into the final.

Huske followed up her 200 fly by winning the 50 free in the very next event. Huske was 25.04, a bit off her personal best of 24.44 from early April, but without much of a turnaround between events, the race again reinforced her early April performances. NCAP 16-year-old Camille Spink clocked a lifetime best 25.86 for 2nd place. The swim was 0.11 seconds under her previous best. Spink already had the Wave I cut in the event. UMLY 16-year-old Alexa Fulton came in 2rd in 25.88, breaking 26 seconds for the first time in her career, and picking up an Olympic Trials Wave I cut in the process. Jersey Wahoos 15-year-old Clare Logan posted a huge lifetime best in prelims, swimming a 25.75. She picked up a Trials Wave I cut with the prelims swim. NCAP 17-year-old Tatum Wall also picked up a Wave I cut in prelims, swimming a 25.97.

Team Suffolk 16-year-old Denise Phelan also picked up a Trials cut, swimming a 2:33.00 to win the women’s 200 breast. The swim marked a personal best by over 2 seconds, and came in just under the Wave I cut of 2:33.29. This marks Phelan’s first Trials cut.

USC 18-year-old Isabella Korbly also picked up a Trials cut, swimming a 1:02.38 in prelims of the women’s 100 back. Korbly won the event in finals with a 1:02.78, which was also under her previous best of 1:03.17. Her prelims swim came in under the Wave I standard of 1:02.69.

NBAC Ryan Branon took the men’s 200 fly in 2:00.90. The swim marked a personal best of 0.75 seconds, and brought Branon under the Wave I cut of 2:01.19. This also marks Branon’s first Trials cut. Unattached 15-year-old Daniel Diehl won the men’s 50 free in 22.99. The swim was a huge drop for Diehl, who entered the meet with a personal best of 23.44. So, not only was the swim Diehl’s first sub-23 performance, it was also under the Wave I standard of 23.19. Cavalier Aquatics/Piedmont Family Y’s Thomas Heilman, 14, swam a 23.27 in prelims, and again in finals for 3rd place. Heilman’s swims marked a personal best by 0.09 seconds. He already stood as the #3 swimmer all-time for 13-14 boys in the event, but the swims moved him a tick closer to Michael Andrew (23.19) and NAG-holder Isaac Dominguez (23.12).

Diehl went on to take the men’s 100 back as well, roaring to a 54.90. The swim was huge for Diehl, coming in well under his previous best of 55.46, which he swam in November of 2020. Diehl already had the Wave II cut with his previous best, but with his swim Saturday night, he’s now well under the standard and into the 54-second range. NCAP 18-year-old Brett Feyerick picked up a Wave I cut, finishing 2nd in 56.42.

NCAP 18-year-old Jakob Frick won the 200 breast in 2:15.72. The swim was a tick under his previous best time of 2:15.91, which he swam on April 11th of this year. Utah Valley Aquatics 18-year-old Tanner Nelson took the men’s 400 free in 3:58.29. The swim was huge for Nelson, who entered the meet with a personal best of 4:04.35.