Runge, Bolles Boys Shine in Sprints on Day 2 Prelims at Jr. Nats

On the 2nd morning of the 2012 Jr. National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana, the future stars of USA Swimming’s sprint races got their first crack at the water.

In the women’s race, Cierra Runge from North Baltimore was right on top of her best time with a 55.81 for the top seed overall. She, like many of the top seeds, didn’t make a significant drop in the prelims, but from what we saw on Monday many swimmers are stepping up in finals.

Faith Johnson of Star Aquatics in North Carolina, a Tennessee commit and one of the top sprinters in the incoming freshman class, was 2nd in 56.50. The biggest surprise (though in reality, maybe not) was Runge’s teammate Gillian Ryan in 3rd in 56.61 – nearly a two-second lifetime best. That continues a trend for her this summer; after not going a best time in the 800 all year, her speed has really stepped-up this summer. That’s something we’ve seen in a lot of the talented young distance group that was so good in 2011.

Victoria Toris (56.77) from Scotsdale, Katie McLaughlin from the distance gurus at Mission Viejo (57.10), and Emily Allen from North Mecklenburg (57.21) are also in this A-Final as just 15-year olds.

With so much depth in this race, a few tough morning swims left some top names in lower finals, but look for swimmers like Mary Schneider and Elizabeth Boyce to battle for top overall-times out of the B-Final.

In the men’s version of this race, the only two entrants at the meet from Bolles (Santo Condorelli and Caeleb Dressel) took the top two seeds in best times of 50.67 and 50.85, respectively. After the Sharks won the Winter Junior National team title in December, they’ve sent a very sparse squad this summer as they have spent a lot of time focusing on other meets.

Asphalt Green’s Michael Domalgla was the 3rd seed in 51.00, followed by Texas commit John Murray from Alamo. Sven Campbell from Orinda Aquatics is als in the final in 51.32; based on the performances of his teammates so far in this meet (including Steven Stumph in winning the 200 breast), he should be a 50-point in the final.

Other Notes from Prelims:

• There are three 14-year olds in the A-final of the women’s 200 back: Kacey Oberlander of the York YMCA, Courtney Mykkanen of Irvine Novaquatics, and girls’ 200 breast champ Allie Szekely in 2:16.31. That’s two seconds off of Szekeley’s best time – can’t believe that will last after what we saw on Monday. She does have a tougher double today, though.
• Aaron Greene took the top seed in the men’s 200 back with a 2:02.34, ahead of Campbell who was mentioned above as a finalist in the 100 free as well.
• Allison Brown from Pleasanton is the top seed in the women’s 400 IM in 4:52.63, ahead of Maggie D’Innocenzo and Szekely again. All three should be in the 4:40’s in the finals.
• Ryan Nelson from the Golden West Swim Club, coached by Mark Schubert, topped the men’s 400 IM prelims in a best time of 4:27.37.