2022 WAVE Quad Meet
- Nov. 4-6, 2022
- Triangle Aquatic Center
- Cary, N.C.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results on MeetMobile: “2022 WAVE Quad Meet”
In his last meet before aging up, Sam Marsteiner posted two nation-leading times at the WAVE Quad Meet earlier this month in Cary, North Carolina.
Then 14 years old, the New Wave Swim Team standout crushed a Junior Nationals cut of 4:27.18 in the 500 free that shaved nearly a second off his previous best from March. It’s the fastest time nationally in the 13-14 age group this season, more than two seconds ahead of Luka Mijatovic (4:29.84). The same weekend on the other side of the country, Mijatovic became the fastest 13-year-old in American history. The now-15-year-old Marsteiner finished just a couple seconds off Lleyton Plattel’s NAG record of 4:24.79 from 2017, while Mijatovic still has another year to chase that mark.
Marsteiner’s first sub-4:28 effort in the 500 free catapulted him into the top 10 of all time in the national age group (NAG) rankings. He jumped from No. 11 to No. 6, right behind Michael Phelps (4:26.79).
Marsteiner also won the 200 free with another nation-leading time of 1:40.18. It’s a Futures cut that ranks just a couple tenths ahead of Jason Sugihara’s 1:40.39 this season.
Marsteiner came away with five total victories after placing first in the 13-14 heats of the 50 free (21.75), 100 free (46.84) and 100 IM (52.90). He now ranks as the fourth-fastest performer nationally this season in the 100 free among 13- and 14-year-old boys. He registered a new personal best in every race except for the 50 free, where he was just off his 21.63 from last December. A freshman at Leesville Road High School, Marsteiner is expected to be one of the top 10 recruits in his class when those rankings are released.
Marsteiner’s older brother, 16-year-old Matt Marsteiner, won the 15-and-over heats of the 100 IM (52.51), 200 IM (1:53.75), 100 fly (49.52), 200 fly (1:49.96) and 500 free (4:26.88). An NC State commit who specializes in distance freestyle events, Matt lowered lifetime bests in the 100 IM, 200 IM, and 50 free, where he placed second in 22.25.
Other Highlights
- Fellow New Wave Swim Team member Nikki Nixon had a big weekend as the top scorer on the girls’ side. The 13-year-old won both the 100 IM (1:01.89) and 50 fly (26.60) while placing second in the 100 back (1:00.70) and 200 back (2:12.88). Her 50 fly time was a couple tenths off her personal best from February, but it still makes her the second-fastest 13-year-old girl this season. Her 100 IM time was a personal best that ranks her as the eighth-fastest performer this season.
- Another New Wave Swim Team 13-year-old, Andrew Sito, tallied four first-place finishes in the 100 back (55.61), 100 fly (56.07), 200 IM (2:03.76), and 400 IM (4:24.15). Each of those marks was a new personal best.
