SwimSwam’s The Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming – 1/29/2014

Presenting the week’s Daring Dozen:

Max Hardt, 11, Aquastar: 50y free (25.19) – Hardt won the boys’ 11-12 50/100/200 free, 50/100/200 fly, and 400 IM at the 14 & Under Elite/ Junior and 15 & Over Open Meet hosted by Magnolia Aquatic Club. The 50 free was his best time by a half-second.

Jacob Destrampe, 13, Franklin Regional Swim Team: 100y free (50.11) – Destrampe went a best time in the 100 free at Washington Township Swim Club’s Ground Hog Meet in Indianapolis. He was more than four seconds ahead of his time from last February. Destrampe also achieved best times in the 50 free and 100/200 fly.

Alexandra Walsh, 12, Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club: 200y free (1:55.52) – Walsh dropped a monster four seconds from her seed time during the CPAC Winter Invitational in Stamford. Add that to the ten-second year-over-year improvement she had already made in the event and you get to a whole new level of swimming.

Abby Jagdfeld, 17, Waukesha Express Swim Team: 500y free (4:46.40) – Jagdfeld put forth the fastest 500 free in the entire country this past weekend, and that includes Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky who both swam the event. Competing in the 2014 Circle City Classic hosted by Brownsburg Swim Club, Jagdfeld went her best time by two seconds, and was about six seconds ahead of where she was last winter. She also won the 100/200 free and 200 back.

Timothy Park, 12, Ridgewood YMCA: 1000y free (10:15) – Swimming at the 2014 New Jersey Age Group Championships hosted by Piranha Swimming, Park was the only twelve-year-old in the top eight of the boys’ 14-and-under 1000 free. His time was about 2 minutes faster than his previous best, and was good enough for fifth place.

Rylee Linhardt, 15, Chesapeake Swim Club: 1650y free (16:42.52) – Linhardt 2014 won the women’s 15-19 50/1000 free, 100/200 back, 100/200 breast, and the 200 fly, in addition to the mile at the CSC Winter Ice Breaker. She was 40 seconds faster in the event than she was the same weekend last year. She also picked up best times in the 1000, both backs, the 100 breast, and the 200 fly.

Alaina Skellett, 14, Flint ‘Y’ Falcons: 200y back (2:02.66) – Skellett won the girls’ 13-14 200 back at the Circle City Classic hosted by Brownsburg Swim Club in a time that was ten full seconds faster than at the same meet last year.)

Migs Martin, 15, Unattached: 100y breast (57.54) – Martin won the 100 breast at the UIL District 27-5A high school championship meet in San Antonio, Texas. He went a personal best by nearly a second, and two seconds faster than at the same meet last year.

Caraline Baker, 11, Flatiron Athletic Club: 200y breast (2:31.86) – Baker produced the sixth fastest 200 breast at Scottsdale Aquatic Club’s Winter Invite at the Cactus Aquatic Center. She was more than 8 seconds faster than her seed time, and 21 seconds ahead of her pace from last year at this time.

Nicholas Hackett, 12, Bolles School Sharks: 100y fly (53.18) – At ATAC’s Mac Crutchfield Short Course Meet in Tallahassee, Hackett came away with second place and a personal best in the boys’ open 100 fly; he was 2.2 seconds faster than he had been the same weekend last year.

Tom Peribonio, 18 (1:50.48) and Alex Taylor, 16 (1:50.93): 200y IM – Swimming at the high school championship meet in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Peribonio (North Gwinnett) and Taylor (Brookwood) finished 1-2, respectively, each with personal best times. Both swim for SwimAtlanta when not competing for their high schools.

Jason Louser, 12, Three Village Swim Club: 400y IM (4:28.36) – Louser won the boys’ 12&U 400 IM at the 2014 TVSC January Joust at Ward Melville High School, beating his seed time by 14 seconds. He also won the 100 free, 100/200 breast, 200 fly, and 200 IM.

Special thanks to Lyle Campbell for his assistance in putting this list together.