Seminole Madeline Huggins’ 2:30.85 200 BR Among New Trials Cuts on Day 3 of Ocala Sectionals

2024 Speedo Sectionals – Ocala

• May 23-26, 2024
• Ocala, Florida
• LCM (50m)
• Event Page
• Psych Sheet
• Live Stream

Results

• Thursday Prelims | Finals
• Friday Prelims | Finals
• Saturday Prelims | Finals
• Sunday Prelims | Finals

The 3rd day of the 2024 Speedo Sectionals meet in Ocala, FL was a short one, featuring only the 400 free, 100 fly, and 200 breast individually.

Following her win in the women’s 800 free on Thursday night, University of Minnesota’s Katie McCarthy was back in action in the women’s 400 free today. After clocking a field-leading 4:17.12 in prelims this morning, McCarthy won the race decisively tonight, swimming a 4:14.96. That performance comes in less than a tenth-of-a-second off her career best of 4:14.89, which she swam at US Nationals last summer.

17-year-old Thomas Frost out of Loggerhead Aquatics won the men’s 400 free in a very tight race with Swim Fort Lauderdale’s Dylan Felt (19), and South Florida Aquatic Club’s Juan Vallmitjana (15). Frost had a huge swim, entering the meet with a personal best of 4:02.25, then winning in 3:57.21 tonight. Meanwhile, Felt clocked a massive personal best of 3:54.70 in prelims, picking up the Olympic Trials cut (3:55.59), then came in 2nd with a 3:57.26 in finals tonight. The youngster of the group, 15-year-old Vallmitjana, came in 3rd with a 3:57.60, clipping his previous best of 3:57.98, which he swam earlier this month. Frost was out the fastest, while both Felt and Vallmitjana both closed on him over the back half of the race.

23-year-old Lismar Lyon, who represents Venezuela internationally, won the women’s 100 fly tonight in 59.78. That swim marks a career best for Lyon, putting her within half a second of the Venezuelan Record of 59.37.

University of Minnesota’s Kaiser Neverman took the men’s 100 fly in 53.51, touching out teammate Davide Harabagiu (53.68). Neverman holds a career best of 52.96, which he swam back in 2022.

The women’s 200 breast saw Florida State’s Madeline Huggins claim victory in 2:30.85. Coming into the day, Huggins personal best was a 2:33.23, which she swam in 2021. With the performance, Huggins picked up the Olympic Trials cut of 2:31.69. Additionally, Commonwealth Swimming 19-year-old Sarah Bernard swam a 2:31.45 in prelims, marking a new career best, as well as a new Olympic Trials cut.

Hurricane Aquatics 17-year-old Giulian Martin won the men’s 200 breast in 2:16.33. While that time was just off the Trials cut of 2:15.99, Martin’s career best is a 2:13.91, which he swam at the Futures Championship in Ocala last summer. The swim does mark Martin’s fastest of 2024, however.

Relay Winners

• Women’s 400 free relay: Hurricane Aquatics (Savannah Barr, Jane Fitzgerald, Aino Otava, Sarah Sensenbrenner) – 3:52.26
• Men’s 400 free relay: Rocket Swimming (Samuel Quigg, Brady Zink, Chaz Schuijt, Eli Rollen) – 3:31.11